By blocking Decarie, Conservative Party exposes their free speech hypocrisy

Richard Decarie has been barred from entering the Conservative Party leadership race despite meeting the stringent criterion, according to the National Post. 

The candidate has been the centre of controversy ever since he called homosexuality a “choice” and promised to review the abortion file. An Ipsos Reid poll conducted in 2012 found that although the majority of Canadians are pro-abortion, 60% of respondents favour certain restrictions. 

Décarie also supports the traditional and teleological, the definition of marriage, between one man and one woman. Although his position may seem controversial, a third of Canadians agree with it.

“True Blue”

Décarie, a Roman Catholic from Québec, ran as a “True Blue” Conservative promising to give a voice to the social conservatives who’ve been scapegoated by the moderate Conservatives at the CPC’s helm following Andrew Scheer’s poor 2019 election performance.

The bilingual Québécois has had an impressive political career, and his participation in the leadership nomination debates could have empowered the Party’s loyal social conservative base. 

As per his official campaign website, Décarie served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition for Stephen Harper in the Canadian Alliance and the new Conservative Party. He was also the Chief Organizer of the Québec campaign for Stephen Harper in the 2004 Leadership Campaign of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC). 

In the 2018 provincial election, Décarie successfully worked as a campaign director in Soulages for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). Décarie also holds a graduate degree in Applied Ethics philosophy from the Université de Sherbrooke. 

Reactions

The Conservative Party’s spokesman Cory Hann says he can’t specify why Decarie wasn’t allowed to run and ex-MP Brad Trost, who was aiding Decarie’s campaign, says the news blindsided the campaign.

For those supporting Décarie, and by extension all social conservative members and voters, this party’s decision sets a worrying precedent because no longer do they have a completely open platform to voice their grievances and ideas. 

It seems Canadian Conservatives are comfortable with their hypocrisy as they claim to be defenders of “free speech” and John Stuart Mill-esque dialogue yet bar a longtime CPC member and staffer from running for the leadership of their party simply because he expresses views that are unpleasant to the Conservative Party’s top brass.