Pellerin and Robson: Stephen Harper vs. Canada’s intellectuals | National Post

A good insight into conservative thinking on intellectuals, but rather than looking at the substantive policy issues and the evidence vs anecdote debate, Pellerin and Robson take a more shallow approach, focusing more on the personalities and perceptions.

It would have been more interesting if they had articulated the conservative rationale (as the government largely did not) for specific policy decisions and choices. Some policy decisions have managed to secure the opposition of intellectuals across the political spectrum decisions (e.g., cancellation of the census, weakening of science capacity and institutions like the Archives and research libraries). While they are right that most public intellectuals are more on the centre to left side of the spectrum, there has also been the welcome growth of conservative intellectuals and capacity, making for a more lively debate.

As Pellerin and Robson note, in a comment that could also apply to them:

There is an obvious and sometimes painful dislike of Stephen Harper’s brand of politics among intellectuals in this country. It is of course their right to feel this way and express their views however they choose. Indeed, we find some of those criticisms legitimate in some instances. But if intellectuals want to be taken seriously in their denunciation of the prime minister’s decisions and behavior, they ought to focus on ideas more and emotions less.

Pellerin & Robson: Stephen Harper vs. Canada’s intellectuals | National Post.