Principles and Policies
The historical Conservative Party identified strongly with the British Empire and aimed instead to model Canadian political institutions after British ones opposing the policies of the Liberal Party which favoured Canadian nationalism and political independence from Britain as well as economically continentalist policies such as free trade and further integration with the United States rather than greater political and economic ties with the British Empire and later the Commonwealth. A reversal occurred under the leadership of Brian Mulroney, the party emphasized market forces in the economy and reached a landmark free-trade deal with the United States in 1988. The Conservative Party generally favours lower taxes, smaller government, more decentralization of federal government powers to the provinces, modeled after the Meech Lake Accord, and traditional religious and cultural values.
Read more about this topic: Conservative Party Of Canada
Famous quotes containing the words principles and/or policies:
“Custom is our nature.... What are our natural principles but principles of custom?”
—Blaise Pascal (1623–1662)
“Give a scientist a problem and he will probably provide a solution; historians and sociologists, by contrast, can offer only opinions. Ask a dozen chemists the composition of an organic compound such as methane, and within a short time all twelve will have come up with the same solution of CH4. Ask, however, a dozen economists or sociologists to provide policies to reduce unemployment or the level of crime and twelve widely differing opinions are likely to be offered.”
—Derek Gjertsen, British scientist, author. Science and Philosophy: Past and Present, ch. 3, Penguin (1989)