The CPC Leadership Contest Exposes some Nasty Connections

​Rosemary Ganley
The Peterborough Examiner
July 21, 2022

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Let me outline as objectively as possible my history with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Starting with the most recent: my attempt, holding my nose all the while, to join the Party in order to vote against candidate for leadership Pierre Poilievre, who has evoked in me fear and objection for a long time: his arrogance and pride, his right- wing views, his humorless, scrappy style, and his record of 17 years in parliament. And now most surely, the company he keeps. The dude he walked with in Ottawa before Canada Day.

The party is in the process of electing its third leader in five years. The election will be by mail-in ballot, and one had to join the party by June 2, with a membership fee of $10, in order to get a ballot. Results will be announced September 10. There are five candidates, only one of whom is worthy of consideration at all, Jean Charest.

Where I had to bail out of the process, was at the clause that I pledge not to belong to any other political party in Canada. Must tell the truth; I am an enthusiastic member of the Liberal party of Canada and a small monthly donor.

I have also been a member of the NDP from time to time, and I donate small but encouraging amounts to the Greens and the NDP each election. I pay attention to the policies of all the parties, and go for what I see as creating the greatest social good, such as basic income and fair tax policy and universal health care.

I also care a lot about the quality of the people attracted to these parties. On these 2 principles, which party has the superior ideas and personnel, I choose the Liberals, but I never expect perfection.

My analysis is that, if indeed Canada is the greatest country in the world, which many attest, then it is the Liberal party and its policies, quality members and enlightened legislation over many years that are largely responsible.

I just spent an unpleasant morning looking up information on Poilievre’s walking partner, James Topp. And Topp’s close association with Jeremy MacKenzie. They are unsavory members of the armed forces, though perhaps not for long. They are entitled, ill-informed organizers with the trucker convoy, and anti-vaccination zealots with disturbing views that are aligned with a far-right group called Diagolon.

Here is where we have to sit up and take notice. Diagolon is from the word “diagonal” and it means creating a whites-only society from Florida to Alaska, such as on a diagonal. Black and white flag.

There are a few others like them out there, giving speeches online, tempting other Canadians toward the rabbit hole of crackpotism, which is racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic. It is also misogynistic.

If unattended to in this modern climate of fundamentalism, confusion and scapegoating, a very small movement can grow into something lethal and larger.

So I joined the Canadian Anti-Hate Network. I’ll learn from their research and alerts. It’s not going to cheer me up about groups out there in my country, but better to know than not know. That way I can do my bit to counter these voices. They have a violent tinge to their messages, and their hatred of the Prime Minister knows no bounds.

The reason I link the Conservative Party of Canada with this odious movement, is that they themselves do. Poilievre is brazenly playing with fire to offer them any legitimacy at all.

I publicly ask our Peterborough-Kawartha MP Michelle Ferrari to answer publicly why she is supporting Poilievre in the leadership contest. Naively or purposefully, she supported the trucker convoy back in February with its avowed aim of overturning an elected government.

We need clarity from her at this time.

I’ll let you know what the Canadian Anti- Hate Network reports. And we can together call out hate in all its forms.

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​"Gleanings" is Rosemary Ganley's new book.  You can purchase directly from the author at  rganley209@gmail.com or from >Amazon<

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