The 1885 Society

ries the Tory caution about change for its own sake, or for the sake of abstraction. It respects the principle of subsidiarity, emphasizing the local over the national—the mediating institutions of society between the individual and the state, instead of the state itself. This has led to a ferocious loyalty to the principle of practicality and a strong sense of compromise without the shackles of puritanical ideology. It was once said that the life of Sir John A. Macdonald is the history of Canada. What we often forget is that Macdonald’s life also exemplifies Canadian conservatism. This spirit of moderate and Tory compromise sparked the wildfire of Macdonald’s greatest achievements. But beyond that, this sense of Tory practicality and balance has helped past conservative leaders, federally and provincially, build some of this country’s greatest institutions. Universal healthcare, nation-building infrastructure, access to education, universal suffrage, a prosperous free-enterprise system, institutions that create fairness and protect the most vulnerable among us, even the very act of uniting the cultures that call this country home into Confederation itself—Canadian one-nation conservatism and its values have been at the forefront of these achievements. As Hugh Segal so eloquently describes it in his book The Right Balance, ours is a “conservatism that has developed over centuries and that has helped to create a notion of Canadian civility and order, which most of the world seeks and which Canadians too often take for granted.” It’s a tradition that recognizes, in Segal’s words, the huge difference between the power of ideas and the tyranny of ideology. Conservatives in Canada enjoy a rich soil of legacy from which to grow. It’s why this tradition must be upheld, revivified for the modern era, and promoted for the future. Macdonald saw moderate, one-nation conservatism as the philosophical vision that would build a great future for Canada. We couldn’t agree more. That’s why Canadian conservatism must follow its Canadian traditions—we must be Macdonaldian One-Nation conservatives. This is the mission of the 1885 Society. We would like to add our own voice to the chorus of the national conservative movement—a voice of the moderate, centre-right, firmly entrenched in our country’s one-nation conservative principles. We see these principles as pragmatic and moderate-minded, grounded in that famous phrase, “to progress, preserve. To preserve, reform.” We see these principles as:

• Nation-building and community-building;

• A civic nationalism that seeks to enrich and defend the institutions of Canadian democracy which have served us so well, especially our commitment to ordered liberty;

• Adherence to our constitutional values—peace, order, and good government;

• Love for the diverse splendor of Canada’s cultures, character, and environment, with a commitment to enrich them all; and,

• A desire to contribute to the perpetual work of making a great country greater. These principles are exemplified in our name—1885, the year the last spike was driven into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the contract of Confederation secured: the single greatest act of nation-building in the history of our country. Our aim is to promote this moderate conservatism for a new generation of young Canadians and community-minded friends, starting here in one of Canada’s founding provinces—Ontario—and across the country we all love. Our vision is to help build a conservative movement and conservative parties which exemplify the best qualities of this tradition. If you share our passion for this extraordinary legacy, and want to revivify its promise at this moment in our history, then welcome to our movement for the Canadian centre-right.