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Edited on Fri May-20-05 04:48 PM by Pierre Trudeau
Federal politics in Canada has always featured a third party, and sometimes several. Yes, the Conservatives and Liberals have always been the main two parties, and the only parties to ever form a government in Ottawa (with the exception of Robert Borden's "Union" government of 1917-1920, a combination of conservatives and "progressives" representing farmers... those two parties later merged into the Progressive Conservative Party, R.I.P.), but third parties such as the CCF, NDP, Progressives, Social Credit and others have always played a significant part, in some cases holding the balance of power and influencing the governing party's agenda.
Those third parties have had much better luck in forming provincial governments, especially the NDP which often runs Saskatchewan, sometimes Manitoba and B.C., and once even had a majority government in Ontario! Social Credit used to be a major force in the west, frequently forming the BC government, but it no longer exists.
In 1993, after eight years of majority government, the Progressive Conservative Party was slaughtered in the polls (winning only two seats), and had already begun to splinter into the Reform Party (right-wing western neocons & rednecks led by Preston Manning who's no redneck but still an evangelical social conservative) and the Bloc Quebecois (founded by Lucien Bouchard, former conservative who stabbed his buddy prime minister Brian Mulroney in the back and started this new sovereigntist party to represent Quebecers). With the right wing split and the social-democratic NDP burdened with uninspiring leaders, the Liberals under Jean Chretien were able to hold onto government for three successive majorities. Only last year did the Reformers and what was left of the old Progressive Conservatives finally re-unite to found the new Conservative Party of Canada, whose main distinction for most Canadians is that they are NOT "progressive". Consequently they perpetually have trouble getting many votes east of Alberta (which is the Canadian equivalent of a "red state").
In contrast to the US, the multi-party environment has often served the country well, and it is not unusual to have a "minority government", as we currently do in Ottawa. In fact, some of our best governments have been minorities.
Probably the best example is the Pearson government of 1963-1968. Lester B. Pearson, Nobel Peace Prize winner, inventor of UN peacekeeping, and surely one of our most undervalued prime ministers, never managed to win a majority for the Liberals in parliament. Nevertheless, he forged ahead, working by consensus with the other parties, and managed through two minority governments to build our health-care system, rev the country up for Expo 67, and gave us our national flag, among many other accomplishments which helped to define the Canada we know and love today.
Similarly, Bill Davis was Premier of Ontario for 14 years, most of the time running minority governments. Affectionately known as "Brampton Billy", Davis is the kind of guy who gives conservatives a good name. Eschewing ideology in favour of governing in the best interests of all Ontarians, Mr. Davis gave us our beloved public television network TVO, created a progressive educational system, worked with Trudeau to repatriate the constitution, and presided over what is generally considered to be a golden age in Ontario.
Incidentally, according to early news reports, it was a speech given by the now-retired Davis that inspired Belinda Stronach to cross the floor.
Phew! Um, that's today's history lesson. :eyes: I don't know if I answered your question. I would agree with Ms. Hébert that the NDP came off looking the best out of the last month's escapades, and hopefully will gain some support in the polls. After all, most Canadians seem to prefer having a Liberal minority government with the NDP holding the balance of power, which is essentially what just happened.
But in politics, things can change pretty quickly.
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