04.18.09
Perpetual Failure of the Canadian Party
Are we a one party country? I’ve been asking myself this as of late. On the surface it appears that Canada offers a wide choice of party’s to choose from. Aside from the major players smaller parties including the Green Party, Marijuana Party and the Communist Party of Canada have managed to play a role in Canadian politics. Though the preceding parties do not, most major parties have both a federal and provincial wing, yet for the last 13 years the Liberal Party of Canada has dominated federal politics. Why is this?
Historically Canada has been a two party system. For more than 100 years the
Conservative Party of Canada (Tories) and the Liberal Party of Canada (Grits) have
alternated between the role of Government and Offical Opposition The 1992
election of the Liberal Party changed all that. In what Limmony Snickets would refer
to as a “Series of Unfortunate Events”, the Conservative Party of Canada was reduced
from a majority government to just two seats.
Since their election demise, the Tories have successfully alienated themselves as a
legitimate federal party. Consecutive failed leaders have seen the Conservative Party
move from a centrist federal party to an ultra-conservative regional force. Poorly
planned strategic moves, including the merger between the Conservatives and the
regional power Canadian Alliance, formed the current politically neutered version of
the Tories. Though supported in the west, the party has not made a serious dent on
the federal stage.
Why? It’s a sheer numbers game. We are a representative democracy. The current
parlimentary system has given the province of Ontario immense power. As the most
populous and socially liberal province, Ontarians and specifically Torontonians look
to the Conservative Party with a great deal of suspician. Their merger with the
Canadian Alliance and former Reform Party has given the Tories an aura of “redneck
politics” and “backwards thinking” that they can’t seem to shake. Though no
ammount of political math can total an election win without votes from Ontario, the
current breed of Conservatives refuse to make a serious election bid in Ontario.
Without moving back to their historic role as a socially-centrist and fiscally
conservative, the Conservative Party of Canada undermines any ability to convince
the Ontario voter of their platform. The party has yet to open a local office in
Toronto. How can Torontonians take the Conservative Party seriously, if Stephen
Harper (the current leader) fails to recognize that not having their message in the
largest city in Canada is a huge mistake. The Tories may not like Toronto, but this
city accounts for a fairly large chunk of the seats in the House of Commons.
Mr. Harper may be comforted by the current wave of Conservative support, but he
should understand its limits. The polls suggest that Canadians are not so much
happy with the Conservative Party as they are UNHAPPY with Prime Minister Martin
and the Liberals. Regardless of the findings of the Gomery comission, support for
the Conservative Party in Ontario will decline. They have not put forth an agenda
that appeals to Ontarians other than “Vote Conservative - we’re not Liberal”. Mr.
Harper must understand that Canadians vote for change only when they feel that the
change will be beneficial. Once Mr. Harper controls the more right-wing members of
his party and offers a more centrist platform, he may be able to make gains in
Ontario. Until that day, Canadians will always vote Liberal. After all, it’s safer to go
with the devil you know rather than the devil you don’t.
