Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Will Andrew Scheer be the last social conservative to lead the Conservative Party?

Dec 13, 2019 | 3:58 AM

ANDREW SCHEER’S RESIGNATION this week was a bombshell that even his caucus didn’t expect.

If he was going to resign, the logical time would have been sooner after the election.

The information coming to light that he was using Conservative Party money to put his children through private school may have played a part, but the magnitude of that aspect is not fully evident.

The sting of the second place election result in October is still being felt by the Conservative Party, and you can bet there is a full internal reckoning taking place.

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As always, a lot of the focus will be placed on the leader — as it should be.

Voters reliably look to the party’s leader first and foremost when they’re deciding who gets their vote.

Scheer proved to be an easy target for his foes because of his social conservative views.

Even though he consistently said abortion rights would not be redebated under a Conservative government, his answers simply weren’t convincing.

And his steadfast refusal to participate in pride parades spoke volumes to the overwhelming majority of voters whose views on gender and sexuality have evolved over the years.

With Scheer’s electoral failure — and the parallel collapse of the upstart People’s Party — it’s worth asking if social conservatism is dead as an electable ideology in Canada.

Of course, there are still many who support principled conservative policies that promote lower taxes, lower spending, small government and minimal state intervention in everyday life.

But fewer and fewer seem to be promoting the social conservative values that harken back to yesteryear.

The Conservative Party of Canada would be wise to key in on this shift in attitudes and find a leader with bonafide fiscal conservative credentials but whose views on social issues have at least caught up to the 21st Century.

If they don’t, they would be wise to get used to the opposition benches.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.