Opening keynote
Reclaiming Populism in the Age of Trump
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The rise of Donald Trump and others on the far-right highlights a deep dissatisfaction with the neoliberal status quo of the last three decades. Parading as populists, Trump and his crowd are trying to shape the anti-status quo sentiment into a nasty right-wing juggernaut that rewards themselves and offers nothing to working people.
But populism has an honorable tradition of actually defending working people and challenging elites. With neoliberalism now in disarray, the moment is ripe for progressives to tap into the popular dissatisfaction over rising inequality—with an agenda that empowers working people and allows them to capture a fair share of the wealth we all collectively create.
Linda McQuaig is a journalist and bestselling author with a reputation for challenging the Establishment. She has been a rare voice of dissent in the mainstream media. Since 2002, she has used her op-ed column in the Toronto Star to challenge the prevailing economic dogma, take on powerful business moguls and consistently champion a more equal and inclusive society. She is the author of seven controversial national bestsellers.
