Not that anyone cares, but I read an interesting article in the Toronto Star today about Red Toryism…and finally I have a group that I can associate with. I’ve always changed my party allegiances depending on the platform., so I’m not a conservative, I’m not a liberal…

The definition of Red Tory: investment in physical and social infrastructure within a framework of fiscal restraint and bending when necessary to overwhelming popular sentiment.

The key word for me is fiscal restraint. When I graduated university, I was in debt. Lots of it. It was crippling and prevented me from doing things that I wanted. My belief is that it’s the same with a country. Big deficit, big debt is bad for everyone. Get that debt lower and suddenly there’s more money to spend.

Current Red Tory’s: Stephen Harper (who is only a Red Tory because of his minority government), Bill Davis, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac. Judging by those people — it’s pretty middle of the road (it’s called left of centre). Which is funny, because Harper is usually considered far RIGHT of centre.

With the recent defeat of John Tory (in one of the WORST election campaigns ever run) people were lamenting the death of Red Toryism. The Toronto Star article was basically saying that it is alive and well…that in fact, Dalton McGuinty is a Red Tory (perhaps the reason that there was a general apathy this election).

The article is here:. I’ve never been much of a party follower, and this article merely reinforces that belief.