In recent weeks the phrase “conservative values” has been heard a lot across Canada, particularly in connection with the Conservative Party of Canada leadership campaign. 

The phrase often gets described by progressives as a dog whistle for the far right, but there’s an argument that conservative values benefit Canada and are embraced by most Canadians.

There’s no official definition of conservative values, but they’re generally understood to include some basics such as long-established social values, limited government, a role for free market solutions, and personal responsibility.

Most of those traditions and principles are now being dismantled to some degree in Canada, and when a society starts losing its traditions, especially at the speed we’re seeing, the instability that results is alarming. All the more so when it happens during a time of pandemic.

Conservatives of various stripes will always have differing political views, and one particular “conservative” party might in fact lean more to the left than another “liberal party.” In fact we’ve seen examples of that here in Canada, and there’s plenty of room for debating the importance and application of various conservative values. 

But it’s easy to see why traditional faiths such as Catholicism are often described as conservative religions. The Church tends to preserve what is good, from its teachings and tradition to what it observes in the world.

The Church also observes a principle that not only underlies conservative values but has relevance to responsible politics. It’s the principle of subsidiarity, which Catholic social teaching puts this way: what individuals can accomplish by their own initiative and efforts should not be taken from them by a higher authority. By extension, higher institutions and levels of government should not assume the responsibilities appropriate to lower ones.

Subsidiarity does not mean it’s every man for himself and there’s no role for assistance by governments, churches, or organizations. Development and Peace notes that the principle of subsidiarity is the reason it doesn’t send Canadian volunteers to work on projects overseas but rather supports local grassroots organizations, “recognizing the expertise of locals in matters that affect their communities.”

In other words, it’s one thing to help smaller organizations or individuals accomplish a task they cannot do by themselves; its something completely different to take over.

The Canadian political website Catholic Conscience has an informative discussion on subsidiarity in light of the response to the current pandemic. Using Canadian health care as the example, it explores questions about the application of subsidiarity: What is the proper role of the provinces? Should prescriptions and alternative health care be covered? Is there a place for private delivery of health care?

Debate over these issues can take a wide range of views, but by starting from a position of subsidiarity, the discussion gets started on the right track. 

In the conversation, Brendan Steven explains why subsidiarity is so critical to proper discussion. Subsidiarity, he says, “stands between the twin monsters of collectivism – the idea that all decision-making should be made by larger aggregations of distant governing bodies – and individualism, the idea that all power should be invested in individuals and that only individual interests should drive societal decision-making.”

Both extremes “lead to terrible social evils,” says Steven. “The former because human dignity is trampled underneath the whims of the majoritarian collective, and the latter because no restraint is placed on the totalizing and often corrupted desires of individuals and the harm they can cause to their neighbours.”

There’s little question that Canada is quickly losing its conservative values, and the loss of subsidiarity is a major factor for many of the troubles our society is experiencing today: courts making decisions best left to politicians; governments dominating areas better left to a free market, churches, or charities; state institutions usurping the role of families. 

Consider alone what the principle of subsidiarity would bring to arguments about freedom of expression and religion and the role of the state, media, and social media in determining what is permitted. 

Again, conservative values don’t imply Conservative politics, and subsidiarity is not an excuse to abandon those in need. But a necessary element missing from many of today’s debates is the fact that bigger is not always better when it comes to a well functioning society.