“(Gwendolyn) Landolt … is right about one thing. (John) Baird’s criticism is likely to have political implications for the Harper government. Quite the opposite of Ms. Landolt’s suggestion, though, these implications will be positive. The Conservatives have an opportunity to attract centrist voters by shedding the lingering perception of their party as uncaring and anti-internationalist. Instead, the message is that Conservatives will stand up to defend basic human rights around the world, which is especially poignant given the party’s past position on the wrong side of history in the Canadian gay marriage debate. In addition, the risk of losing political support among social conservatives is low. According to a recent Angus Reid poll, only 19 per cent of Canadians now believe that same-sex couples should not receive legal recognition.”
– Lorne Neudorf, in a Globe and Mail commentary about last week’s comments by social conservatives warning Canada’s Conservative government that it may lose political support following Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird’s criticism of Russian and Ugandan anti-LGBT policies.