A PRE-HARPER RED TORY MAYBE
FIRST READING: Erin O'Toole, the socialist crusading rainbow warrior?

A 'PROGRESSIVE' CONSERVATIVE

THAT OLD CONTRADICTION
Tristin Hopper - 

© Provided by National PostThis is the gayest photo of Erin O'Toole we could find. 

Skip to Solid Takes, below, to learn about some surprising pro-labour and pro-LGBT planks in the Tory platform.

Strange as it may seem for a party that initially opposed Canada’s passage of same-sex marriage , even under Stephen Harper the Conservative Party had a pretty good record on international gay rights . Adam Zivo writes that this is continuing under O’Toole, with the Tory platform offering much broader means to accept LGBT refugees than either the Liberals or the NDP .

Since we’re on the subject of Conservatives championing unorthodox political issues, Justin Ling wrote up all the ways O’Toole is pitching labour policies that are verging on those of a “socialist crusader.” This includes measures to ease unionization, protections for gig workers and mandates to have employee representation on corporate boards.

This week, the Conservatives promised to ban puppy mills (and of course used it as an excuse to stage a photo op with adorable puppies). But Sabrina Maddeaux says the policy is better than it looks, since tough measures on animal abusers often have the effect of curbing domestic abuse .