Seven Oaks Magazine.

George W. Bush's first term in office was so disastrous that he didn't dare run his 2004 campaign on his actual record - starting a war based on lies and willful deception, record-setting federal deficits, major job losses, to name a few problems - so he (and Karl Rove) had to resort to scare-mongering. Exploiting the fear of terrorism was one way that Bush frightened just enough Americans to cling to the presidency.

The other fear Bush played upon was that of same-sex marriage.

Conservative Party leader Stephen Harper, desperately looking for a winning issue for the next federal election, and having seen how effective fear was south of the border, is importing the same tactic - and one of the same issues - that kept the Bush dynasty in the White House.

However, the Tories are not content to argue that Prime Minister Paul Martin wants to "impose" same-sex unions on Canadians. According to Harper, "the next thing on the Liberal agenda will be polygamy and who knows what else."

Harper is targeting the so-called "ethnic" vote in order to draw support away from the Liberals, while hoping to increase voter turn-out among traditional conservatives. The Bush team used this tactic very successfully to mobilize their supporters to get out and vote on election day.

But the problem with this approach goes beyond questionable election strategies and even the issue of same-sex marriage itself. By focusing on this question, Harper is trying to avoid discussing more serious problems facing Canada, issues that could harm his election prospects. Instead, he wants to deflect attention to other concerns.

What other priorities are Canadians concerned about?

Bush's "Star Wars" program to militarize the heavens is a serious threat to the peace of the world. China and Russia, for instance, have already indicated that they will meet the U.S. challenge. Moreover, the diversion of scarce resources to a new arms race is the last thing that the people of the world – half of whom try to survive on $2 per day or less – need.

But because most Canadians oppose this scheme, the Conservatives are afraid to openly back Bush (as they did when Harper demanded that Ottawa send young Canadians to war alongside U.S. troops in Iraq). On the other hand, most Canadians want all levels of government to make a greater effort to protect our environment, especially regarding the Kyoto Treaty to begin to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But Harper and the Tories reject Kyoto (and some even claim that global warming is unrelated to the wasteful burning of fossil fuels).

Then there are the "family values" for which the Tories claim to stand. The well-being of our children is certainly a "family value", but we are failing them in numerous ways. For example, the pollution that we are dumping on the natural world will haunt our children and grand-children, not only some day in the future, but it is killing them right now. As a recent study from the University of Birmingham found, "Most childhood cancers are likely caused by pollutants expectant mothers are exposed to during pregnancy...Emissions that appear to raise cancer risk the most include caron dioxide created by burning fossil fuels (notably gasoline used by vehicles...)"

Why is Harper silent on this family value?

Child poverty is a national disgrace in a rich country like Canada, and Parliament passed a unanimous resolution, Conservatives included, to end it by the year 2000. But there are now more poor children in Canada than ever. Stephen Harper hasn't made the elimination of child poverty a priority issue, but aren't the needs of children a family value?

Then there's the reality that more Canadians are working longer hours, with the consequences of "less leisure time, less family time, and more work and home-related stress", according to Don Drummond, chief economist of TD Bank. The Tories have not proposed any solutions that would reduce work time for parents. Quality national day-care is something that most parents and children need, but which many cannot afford. Harper has chosen not to fight for a universal system of child-care.

The problem for Harper is that many key Conservative positions are rejected by the majority of Canadians, but rather than honestly debating the merits of their ideas, the Conservatives have chosen to obscure their priorities behind a facade based on fear and intolerance.

This deceitful practice worked for George W. Bush. I doubt, however, that it will work for Stephen Harper.

Peter G. Prontzos teaches Political Science at Langara College in Vancouver and is the father of three.