By Ed Randazzo
On May 2, 2011, Canadians went to the polls and the Conservative Party of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who has headed minority governments since 2006, won an absolute majority of seats, 167 of 308, in the House of Commons. This is nothing short of a revolution in Canadian politics and has lessons, I think, for those of us south of the border.
A nation, at least currently, more socialistic than the USA has embraced the smaller government policies of the Conservative Party. US progresives and liberals should take note.
The victory, in part, was the result of huge support from Canadian immigrants and herein lies a lesson that can be taken by the GOP. The tactic utilized by the Canadian Conservatives was to circulate videos of ethnic Conservative candidates appealing for votes in their native tongues. The simple message was that this is a party that likes and respects you.
Republicans could do something similar, with Sen. Marco Rubio, Govs. Susana
Martinez and Brian Sandoval, and Reps. Allen West, Tim Scott and Quico Canseco,
all elected in 2010.
