Why the Tories lost? No home for moral conservatives
TORONTO, Oct. 7, 2011 – Voter turnout fell to a dismal 47.6% in the Ontario provincial election and Campaign Life Coalition, a pro-life lobby group, maintains that many of the 380,000 eligible voters who did not bother voting were moral conservatives who felt no party leader represented their values during this election campaign.
“Conservative strategists blew it by failing to connect with a natural constituency for a truly, small-c conservative movement, that is, pro-life and pro-family voters. When Hudak took some wrong-headed advice and failed to respond to the abortion question, he lost pro-lifers and people of faith,” said Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition (CLC). “Don’t forget that the ‘small-c conservative base’ consists of both fiscal and social conservatives. PCs need to reach out with some kind of platform which appeals to this constituency,” added Hughes.
This year’s abysmal turnout actually follows a record low in 2007 of 52.1%, down from 56.9% in 2003. That means that over the past eight years, approximately 790,000 eligible voters chose to stay home rather than vote. Mary Ellen Douglas, CLC National Organizer, maintains that this represents a steady turning away of largely social conservative voters by the Ontario PCs: “Some Conservative strategists labour under the false impression that moral conservatives have no choice but to vote PC. They do have another choice – stay home and watch hockey instead. ”
About Campaign Life Coalition
Campaign Life Coalition is a national, non-profit organization involved in political action and advocacy for legal and cultural change in Canada with respect to protecting human life and the family. It is non-partisan and encourages voting based on principles, not party. For more information visit www.campaignlifecoalition.com.
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Media Contacts:
Mary Ellen Douglas, CLC National Organizer 613-389-4472
Jack Fonseca, CLC Election desk 416-204-9749