Reclaiming the middle ground with the Red Tory.

• Date: 01 March 2020
• Author: Cirtwill, Charles

We have been treated recently to a slew of articles about the return of the Red Tory, written by people who are most definitely not Red Tories. "Liberal-lite" and "Laurentian elites in blue vests" are just two of the slurs used in those pieces. So, I offer here a defense of Red Toryism from a Red Tory.

Red Tories are usually defined as being socially progressive and fiscally conservative. The actual definition requires the use of the word "generally"--as in, generally socially progressive and generally fiscally conservative. Red Tories like nuance, which is why so few of them have found success in elected politics.

Speaking of electoral success, let me share with you why I am a Red Tory. It is Brian Mulroney's fault. In 1984,1 was coming of age politically. Mulroney and his Progressive Conservatives offered a Red Tory agenda: better taxation, using the market to clean up the environment, freer trade to encourage greater...