How do you solve a problem like social conservatives?

What is the future of social conservatism in Canada going to be in the post-Harper era? Will they stay in the Conservative Party fold and become a liability for the brand? There are early signals of a party intent on modernizing and smoothing out some of its rougher edges.

Meanwhile, Patrick Brown seems to be following Harper’s playbook as leader of the Ontario PC Party. Following an admirable voting record (if you’re a social conservative) during his tenure as a backbench MP in Ottawa, Mr. Brown successfully courted this group to win the leadership by condemning the Ontario government’s update to sex-ed curriculum.The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Opinion

BY SARAH SCHMIDT

May 30, 2016

OTTAWA—Back in 2006, after Stephen Harper won his first election as head of the Conservative Party of Canada, his minority government brought forward a motion calling for legislation to restore the traditional definition of marriage. The vote was just for show, of course. The courts had already l...

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