EPISODE · Mar 24, 2026 · 1H 7M
#88 Sam Duncan: Building a Conservative Counter-Elite: Narrative, Institutions, and Canada’s Identity Crisis
from Concepts with Shawn Whatley · host Shawn Whatley
Sam Duncan has worked in government for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He is current VP at Wellington Advocacy. We discuss a powerful article Sam wrote titled: Toward a conservative counter-elite. Sam's article almost has enough content to outline a whole book. He diagnosed Canada's problems, uncovers the causes, and offers a detailed list of almost a dozen solutions. I was able to press Sam on managerialism and the tendency for Conservatives to act like Liberal professional managers when in power. This is something I haven't sorted for myself: How do we fix things without becoming managerialist ourselves? Sam is eloquent and very good on his feet. Let me know what you think! Thanks so much for listening. Shawn Chapters and AI Summary Host Shawn Whatley welcomes Sam Duncan, VP at Wellington Advocacy and former advisor to Doug Ford and Stephen Harper, to discuss Duncan’s article “Toward a Conservative Counter Elite.” They argue Canadian conservatism lacks an emotional narrative and compelling national story, while politics often operates as a “uniparty” with small philosophical differences under liberal frameworks. Duncan reflects on conservatives’ failure to translate electoral success into lasting policy and cultural change and calls for developing a conservative counter-elite by reforming institutions that recruit and train leaders, rather than being merely anti-elite. The conversation covers populism, the need for unifying myths after the collapse of British identity, the impact of Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s post-national multicultural vision, strengthening families and communities, the limits of managerialism, and building think tanks and long-term idea ecosystems to pressure politicians and sustain reforms. 00:00 What Conservatism Lacks 00:47 Show Intro and Guest 03:26 Why Write Counter Elite 05:42 Uniparty Explained 09:23 Populism Without Winning 12:38 Narrative Versus Demagoguery 15:56 Canada’s Missing Myth 20:25 Elites Formed Constrained Empowered 25:51 Selection and Institutional Coding 31:20 Beyond Policy Tweaks 32:12 Family First Principles 34:39 Daycare State Alternatives 36:13 Property Owning Democracy 38:01 Massey Commission Today 40:25 Building Conservative Institutions 43:34 Reforms That Stick 46:58 Politics Is Contest 49:38 Winning Versus Ideas 55:21 Managerialism And COVID 56:53 Public Service Renewal 01:02:55 Generational Conservative Shift 01:05:00 Tropos And Regime Roots 01:06:58 Closing Reflections
What this episode covers
Sam Duncan has worked in government for Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. He is current VP at Wellington Advocacy. We discuss a powerful article Sam wrote titled: Toward a conservative counter-elite. Sam's article almost has enough content to outline a whole book. He diagnosed Canada's problems, uncovers the causes, and offers a detailed list of almost a dozen solutions. I was able to press Sam on managerialism and the tendency for Conservatives to act like Liberal professional managers when in power. This is something I haven't sorted for myself: How do we fix things without becoming managerialist ourselves? Sam is eloquent and very good on his feet. Let me know what you think! Thanks so much for listening. Shawn Chapters and AI Summary Host Shawn Whatley welcomes Sam Duncan, VP at Wellington Advocacy and former advisor to Doug Ford and Stephen Harper, to discuss Duncan’s article “Toward a Conservative Counter Elite.” They argue Canadian conservatism lacks an emotional narrative and compelling national story, while politics often operates as a “uniparty” with small philosophical differences under liberal frameworks. Duncan reflects on conservatives’ failure to translate electoral success into lasting policy and cultural change and calls for developing a conservative counter-elite by reforming institutions that recruit and train leaders, rather than being merely anti-elite. The conversation covers populism, the need for unifying myths after the collapse of British identity, the impact of Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s post-national multicultural vision, strengthening families and communities, the limits of managerialism, and building think tanks and long-term idea ecosystems to pressure politicians and sustain reforms. 00:00 What Conservatism Lacks 00:47 Show Intro and Guest 03:26 Why Write Counter Elite 05:42 Uniparty Explained 09:23 Populism Without Winning 12:38 Narrative Versus Demagoguery 15:56 Canada’s Missing Myth 20:25 Elites Formed Constrained Empowered 25:51 Selection and Institutional Coding 31:20 Beyond Policy Tweaks 32:12 Family First Principles 34:39 Daycare State Alternatives 36:13 Property Owning Democracy 38:01 Massey Commission Today 40:25 Building Conservative Institutions 43:34 Reforms That Stick 46:58 Politics Is Contest 49:38 Winning Versus Ideas 55:21 Managerialism And COVID 56:53 Public Service Renewal 01:02:55 Generational Conservative Shift 01:05:00 Tropos And Regime Roots 01:06:58 Closing Reflections
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#88 Sam Duncan: Building a Conservative Counter-Elite: Narrative, Institutions, and Canada’s Identity Crisis
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