CANADA’SPOLITICAL

PARTIESCHV2OH - CIVICS

CANADA’S MAJOR FEDERAL POLITICAL PARTIES

NDPBloc

QuebecoisGreen Progressive

ConservativesLiberal ConservativesReform Alliance

CENTRELEFT RIGHT

QUICK FACTS

• Canadian politics is generally divided between right and left, in the Anglo-American tradition.

• Canada's government has historically operated under a two-party system, in which the centre-right Conservative Party alternates with the centre-left Liberal Party.

• Since the 1990s, the Canadian party system has shown signs of instability, with new parties arising and winning seats in Parliament.

• Canada's provinces generally have the same political parties as the federal government.

• Founded during the Great Depression as the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF); became the NDP in 1961

• Originally a socialist party that was seen as “fringe” or “radical”

• Increased seats in Parliament from 37 to 102 in the 2011 federal election

• Today, the NDP is not socialist, but is the most left-wing of Canada’s parties, both economically and socially

NOTABLE NDP-ERS

Tommy Douglas

Jack Layton

Thomas Mulcair

• Father of socialized medicine

•Credited with the increased support for the NDP in the 2011 election

CURRENT LEADER

• Founded in 1990

• Main issue is separatism

• Because they only have candidates in Quebec, they can never lead the government

• Left-wing (similar to NDP) on most issues

• Went from 49 to 4 seats after 2011 federal election

NOTABLE BLOCS

Lucien Bouchard

Gilles Duceppe

Mario Beaulieu

• Party founder

•Party leader from 1997-2011

CURRENT LEADER

• Founded in 1983; first MP elected in 2011

• Originally focused solely on environmental awareness

• Today has a broader focus and markets itself as a “non-ideological” solution for frustrated voters

NOTABLE GREENS

Trevor Hancock

Jim Harris

Elizabeth May

• First leader of the Green Party

• Party leader from 2003-2006• During his time as leader, the

Greens increased their support from Canadian voters

CURRENT LEADER

• Longest-running political party in Canada

• Late 19th and early 20th century values included free markets, personal responsibility, tolerant relations between French and English Canadians

• After World War II, became more left-wing, advocating more active government, multiculturalism, bilingualism, internationalism, social equality

• Maintained a steady hold on the prime minister’s office for most of the 1990s, but declined rapidly in popularity starting in the early 2000s

• Conservative with money, progressive with social issues

NOTABLE LIBERALS

William Lyon Mackenzie King

Pierre Trudeau

Lester B. Pearson

Justin Trudeau

• Longest-serving Prime Minister in Canadian history (22 years)

•Prevented Quebec sovereignty•Charter of Rights and

Freedoms•Multiculturalism and social

progressivism

•Won the Nobel Peace Prize •Universal health care, student

loans, Canada Pension Plan

CURRENT LEADER

• Founded in 2003, when Progressive Conservative and Reform Alliance parties merged

• Historically associated with loyalty to English culture, imperialism, traditionalism

• During the 1980s, Progressive Conservative Party called for lower taxes, deregulation (less government control of business), and privatization of government services

• Reform Alliance felt Progressive Conservatives were “not Conservative enough”—were more right-wing

• Parties merged to avoid vote-splitting

• The current Conservative Party favours low taxes, less active government, law-and-order, and a strong military—is officially neutral on social issues

NOTABLE CONSERVATIVES

John A. MacDonald

Brian Mulroney

John Diefenbaker

Stephen Harper

• First Prime Minister of Canada

•Established a free trade agreement with the US• Introduced GST

•Civil Rights advocate•Gained support from Western

provinces for the party

CURRENT LEADER

ONTARIO’S POLITICAL PARTIES

• Provincial parties align with the federal parties on most issues.

• Big issues in the most recent provincial election were the economy and transit.

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES’ VIEWS?

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