For years, I felt politically unmoored

Darin Howard
For years, I felt politically unmoored.  felt politically unmoored. Growing up in a household of self-identified Red Tories, I held the belief that there was a place in the political arena for those who embraced fiscal responsibility, social compassion, and an aversion to extremes.

Yet, it seems that this space was more a whimsical idea, akin to Narnia—conceptually real but impossible to locate on any map. At family dinners, the term "Red Tory" was spoken with pride. I once interpreted it as meaning "a liberal who enjoys spreadsheets" or "a conservative with a sense of empathy." It represented a dignified sort of centrism—one that valued institutions without being enslaved by them, capable of balancing budgets while still supporting libraries. However, as the political landscape twisted and turned over time, that Red Tory identity began to feel rather outdated. I found myself too far left for the left, too moderate for the right, and decidedly not extreme enough for the tumultuous discussions on Twitter/X. Then came Mark Carney. Is he the revival of Red Toryism? I can't say for certain, but I like to think he's at least in that ballpark. He's a man who articulates ideas clearly, acknowledges climate science and market principles, and doesn't shy away from complexity.

 It's like a balm for my pragmatic spirit. When he enters a room, the urge to Google "How to move to Scandinavia" fades away. He speaks like someone who has both delved into literature and balanced budgets. He has that rare essence of a person who has managed billion-dollar budgets and patiently waited in line at Shoppers Drug Mart during flu season. So perhaps, just perhaps, I'm no longer politically adrift.

There may again be space for practical idealists, moderate radicals, spreadsheet socialists, and the "yes to public transit, no to populism" brigade. Maybe Red Tories aren't extinct after all—just on a hiatus, awaiting the right individual with an Oxford education and a backbone forged on Bay Street to breathe new life into the label. Whether you call it Red Tory, sensible centrist, or the adult in the room, if Carney is at the helm, I'm ready to follow.