Right winger J.J. McCullough defends Conservative policies and blames Harper hatred for party's loss

Vancouver political analyst J.J. McCullough makes the case in the video above that while people liked Conservative party positions, they despised Stephen Harper. 

In McCullough's view, that's why Justin Trudeau's Liberals won the election.

I have a more nuanced opinion that takes into account the fact that Liberal party policies, including its fiscal approach, tended to be crafted around evidence. Suburban voters flocked to the Liberals because Trudeau's tax policies are going to give a break to the middle class at the expense of the wealthy.

That stands in contrast to many Conservative policies, which were rooted in ideology. Nowhere is this more apparent than around criminal justice, sex work, climate change, and the war on drugs. Health Minister Rona Ambrose refused to acknowledge any medical benefits associated with marijuana.

Voters were also bothered about how Conservative operatives cheated in previous elections, rammed through omnibus budget legislation that shredded environmental protection, and often showed disdain for climate science.

Sure, Harper had high negative ratings, but the rot went far deeper than that.

The Conservatives inhabited an us-and-them world that frequently involved vilifying anyone who wasn't totally onside with the PM. It's amazing that they won as many seats as they did on October 19.