Mike Harris recently scored his second election victory in Ontario. Ralph Klein continues his rule in Alberta, and Preston Manning works on reforming the entire country. The generals of the neo-conservatism movement in Canada represent a radical new approach to our politics and social policy. As Brooke Jeffrey passionately explains in this hard-hitting analysis of New Right faces and philosophies, these leaders present a very real threat to values most Canadians hold dear.Jeffrey provides compelling portraits of maverick Ralph Klein, whose political savvy and opportunism have made him one of the most admired and reviled premiers of Alberta; determined Mike Harris, who has made sweeping, bitterly opposed changes to the fabric of Ontario, yet continues to receive public support; and the supposedly populist Preston Manning, whose recent attempts to align himself with the Conservative Party show how far traditional conservatism has eroded in Canada.
At the same time, Jeffrey traces the British and American roots of neo-conservative thought and shows how in the 1980s Brian Mulroney paved the way for the rise of a similar political movement.
Bringing a keen intelligence and a wide-ranging knowledge of government policy and practice, Jeffrey deconstructs the policies and language of the right -- which are all too often designed to obscure their true intent -- as well as offering new insights into the past, and future, of Canadian politics.
