The Curious Task Ben Woodfinden - What Is Canadian Conservatism?
In this episode, Alex speaks with political theorist Ben Woodfinden about the meaning and complexity of Canadian conservatism. Drawing on his essay “A Tory Impulse and Anti-Laurentian Ideas Drive Canadian Conservatism”, Woodfinden explains why conservatism in Canada is not a single rigid doctrine but a pluralistic network of regionally rooted traditions — from prairie populism and Western anti-elitism to Ontario’s old Toryism and Quebec’s nationalist strands. They unpack Canada’s unique confederation story, the idea of the Laurentian elite, and how any coherent conservatism must remain a coalition rooted in local distinctiveness and historical context.
References
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“A Tory Impulse and Anti-Laurentian Ideas Drive Canadian Conservatism” – Ben Woodfinden (The Hub)
https://thehub.ca/2022/08/17/ben-woodfinden-a-tory-impulse-and-anti-laurentian-ideas-drive-canadian-conservatism/ -
“Canada’s aspiring populists aren’t actually all that radical” – Ben Woodfinden (The Hub)
https://thehub.ca/2022/05/27/canadas-aspiring-populists-arent-actually-all-that-radical/ -
“King Charles III and the glorious weirdness of Canada's monarchy” – Ben Woodfinden
https://nationalpost.com/opinion/ben-woodfinden-king-charles-iii-and-the-glorious-weirdness-of-canadas-monarchy -
Ben's contributions to The Hub
https://thehub.ca/author/benwoodfinden/ -
“Lament for a Nation: The Defeat of Canadian Nationalism” by George Grant
https://a.co/d/d0NQs95 -
“The Crooked Timber of Humanity” by Isaiah Berlin
https://a.co/d/6l1wq3d
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