Tory History - Let us not Forget that we are Dealing with a New Beast

Alain Gourd recounted a history of the Conservative party’s involvement in art and culture. I was brought up in an extremely politically Conservative family. So, this isn’t the first time that I’ve heard these facts. Last year, in my cultural policy class my group was asked to speak of culture from a Conservative Party perspective. I found out from my research that provincially, Bill Davies had strong ties to the OAC’s growth. This is all well and good. However, may I remind you that Bill Davis, along with many other politicians that Alain Gourd had mentioned are “Red Tories”. When the Conservative party merged with the Reform party that changed the party’s platform and has evolved into the beast it is today.

I believe that it is a dangerous misconception to release those facts to the general public. Our current Conservative party does not have a long-standing history, especially when it comes to art and culture. They are unpredictable. We all must keep a careful watch.