Letter: Long live the idea of true progressive conservatism

By Letter to the Editor on May 10, 2022.

Dear editor,

As a young adult I was always amused by the term ‘Progressive Conservative’. To my youthful ear it always sounded like a pathetic attempt by a bunch of older businesspeople to appeal to a younger, more energetic crowd – and failing.

I was, of course, a young ‘progressive’ expecting to see social and economic progress in my world. I longed for signs of increased fairness, justice and the acceptance of differences. I wanted to see evidence of the slow flowering of compassion around me.

But I was young and oh so naïve. Of course, we now know that the Age of Aquarius sputtered to an inglorious, pathetic and muddy death. War, drugs, racism, sexism and basic humanness dumped all over the flower children, and we all had to wake up and smell the paycheque and pay the rent.

But still, there was something noble about the tension of ‘progressive’ married to its near opposite. ‘Progress’ implies moving ahead, while conservative suggests staying put, guarding the values of the previous generations. Over time I came to respect the earnest effort of several federal Progressive Conservative governments as they publicly balanced on this highwire act – “Progress if necessary but not just for progress’ sake.”

Premier Peter Lougheed danced on this PC highwire in statesman-like fashion. He saw the promise and the danger of Alberta’s petroleum windfall and urged the formation of the Heritage Trust Fund, which would allow Alberta to avoid the cycles of boom and bust, and to diversify. Now that was both conservative and progressive.

Unfortunately, his successors fell victim to Alberta’s greasy Midas touch and gave in to the silver-tongued petroleum bosses. Had Alberta’s Progressive Conservatives followed Mr. Lougheed’s council, as Norway did, our province could have a Trust Fund holding close to a trillion dollars. Imagine what that wealth could do now, in our age of the snarling of the climate wolves, and the dawning of the age of green energy.

Long live the idea of true progressive conservatism! There are still many of us out there, homeless, under-appreciated and disgusted with the party which now claims the mantle of ‘Conservative’ in Alberta. The party of Jason Kenney, in its allegiance to corporate wealth, and its single-minded loathing of all things public (public schooling, public health care, unions) has wrought unnecessary hardship, division, mistrust and fatigue on Albertans.

I invite all true Progressive Conservatives to abandon Kenney’s failed mission of self-worship and bad bets. There is a party that is progressive, thoughtful, and truly responsive to the needs of all Albertans. It is prudent, visionary, and ready to govern. Again.

Please, come and join us.

Peter Mueller

Medicine Hat

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