Is Harper a Purple Tory?

To say he's a full-fledged Red Tory is a bit of a stretch, but Stephen Harper has shown signs of promise....

The Same-Sex Marriage Move.... A brilliant play to sidestep the neocons and take the issue off the table. Those of us that support the outcome have got to appreciate the means.

Quebec as a Distinct Society.... A cunning slap at the Bloc, yes, but a throw-back to Joe Clark's concept of Canada as a community of communities. (It's a slap in Joe's face, too -- we all wish he would have thought of this sooner.)

Income Trusts.... It was a decision that had to be made, and Harper put the nation's interest ahead of bloated billionaires'. The free ride is over -- maybe now the provinces can afford to breathe.

Judges.... As the elected conscience of society, Parliament, not the Supreme Court, is the best protector of human rights. Cops and Tories on selection panels might finally put them in their place.

Focus on Families.... The child-care plan was a tentative first step -- better than the Liberal approach. Income-splitting would help... We'll wait to see the budget.

If he's not careful, his true blue neocon friends might get suspicious.