In answer to Furiousball's comment of yesterday: "Holy crap, you guys have 4 parties?", I thought I'd give y'all a crash course on Canadian political parties. I knew there were actually more than four, but who knew there were this many. It's insane, and more than a little ridiculous*:
Registered Political Parties in Alphabetical Order :
(of these, the Conservatives, Liberals, Bloc and NDP and, I believe the Green Party are actually represented in the house of Commons)
- Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada - Who knew? They're platform is animal rights and the environment
- Bloc Québécois - This party is only present in Quebec. Their "mandate" is to promote Quebec sovereignty at a federal level. Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me either. I've already voted for them though because at least they can't do any real damage.
- Canadian Action Party - ??
- Christian Heritage Party of Canada - As the name says, they want Canada governed according to the bible. I guess I'd be stoned to death.
- Communist Party of Canada - Self explanatory
- Conservative Party of Canada - They are the result of a merge of the Alliance Party (which was previously the Reform party) and the Progressive Conservatives (yeah, I know, that name makes no logical sense whatsoever). They're our Republicans.
- First Peoples National Party of Canada - Speaks for itself.
- Green Party of Canada - Self explanatory. They're gaining in popularity and the head of the Party, Elizabeth May will be allowed to participate in the debate.
- Liberal Party of Canada - Our Democrats. Pretty much to the centre
- Libertarian Party of Canada - Never heard of them
- Marijuana Party - Only in Canada, eh? They want the legalization of pot.
- Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada - Again, pretty self explanatory
- Neorhino.ca - The successor to the Rhinoceros Party of Canada, they're our joke party. Their main election promise - since forever - is to break any election promises they make.
- NDP (National Democratic Party) - They're our lefties, people are saying they might actually make up the official opposition this time though I doubt it.
- Newfoundland and Labrador First Party - New to me
- Progressive Canadian Party - Ditto
- Western Block Party - Like the Bloc Québecois, they promote independence... of Western Canada
These parties are eligible to be registered:
- People's Political Power Party of Canada
- Work Less party
One deregistered party:
- Natural Law Party of Canada - I believe they have something to do with transcendental meditation... bizarre, I know.
And these three have lost their ability to be registered
(you need a certain amount of money and/or people behind you to register a party)
- National Alternative Party of Canada
- The Ontario Party of Canada
- Absolutely Absurd Party
So, there, in a nutshell is the political picture in Canada. And lest we forget, you also have those who are standing for election as independents. Keep in mind that most of these parties also have representation at the provincial level. It's a zoo it is. I just had no idea just how much of a zoo it actually was!
*Info taken from the Elections Canada website. This Wikipedia entry is quite detailed and informative
As an aside: Can anyone tell my why I Blogger isn't doing my hyperlinks anymore and I have to do the href stuff myself now? Am I the only one with this problem?? Seriously, what is going on?
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15 comments:
wow, that's complicated, we just have the Democrats and the Evil Bastards
Ah, the Conservative Reform Alliance Party .... they've changed their name, but they'll always be CRAP to me.
Nice to see the Rhinoceros Party is back.
I will always remember the spoof they did on Royal Canadian Air Farce about Preston Manning, leader of the Reform Party... REEEEEFORM!!!!!!
This guy got the best makeover a party leader could ever have.
I don't have a problem with hyperlinks...but I don't have a blog either.
Let’s form our own party – The Bloggers’ Party Party. I’d vote for us because, as a collective, we’re all way, way smarter and more fun that all those political types. How much does it cost to form a party? We could take up a collection.
If Canadian politics wasn't confusing enough, you threw in hyperlinks. I don't even know what that means. I'll look it up some day. But not today. I'm the Beer Party.
Only 4. I wonder if I should do a post on British parties.......maybe not.
Cheers
Fuball - I had no idea it was so complicated. Now it's gonna keep me up nights and it's all your fault.
Kimber - Yeah, it just wasn't as good without the Rhinos.
UA - never saw that.
m'Oi - You might be on to something. No problem if you have no blog.
XUP - Now that is the smartest thing I've heard allday
Geewits - I'd vote for you!
Maddy - Yes, yes you should.
Very interesting post. Thank you for educating me.
Susan
xo
You know...wasn't it Harper who said "no election til 2009?"t
yeah, tha's what I thought too.
I think we should have another party and have the PTA moms run it. We'll call it "the common sense party".
(and we'd serve fresh cookies)
The Current electorial system we use in Canada is called “First pass the post” parliamentary system, it is an undemocratic electorial system because after all the ballots will have been counted in this election, roughly fifty percent of the Canadian voter population will have been marginalized. Their votes will have become wasted votes because their chosen candidate did not get enough votes to win their respective electorial district. Furthermore, it does not give much representation in the decision making process for the official opposition, let alone the elected smaller parties like the NDP, Green, FPNP, etc upon the officially elected Party has secured a Majority Government. Lastly, Canadian minorities like Aboriginal peoples are disenfranchised by this electorial system (the tyranny of the majority in a democratic system). What we need then is an electorial system that reflects the democratic principles that we espouse that is truly just and fair to all Canadians. A good model that is advocated by First Peoples National Party is the Proportional Representation Electorial system where all Canadians are represented equally and no vote goes un-wasted.
Further, our neighbors south of the border have a two party system; the Democrats and the Republicans, since the time of patriation of their American constitution. Here in Canada, we have a multi-party system (liberals, Conservatives, NDP, Bloc Quebecois, FPNP, etc). We are proud of our multi-party electorial system because it distinctly and uniquely separates us from the US electorial model that excludes other parties from forming. However, the truth of the matter is Canada has a two party system too. If you do your research on the history of all Canadian Prime Ministers since the days of confederation of John A. Macdonald to Stephen Harper, you will find all successive Governments were either Conservative or Liberal. If the NDP leader Jack Layton has aspirations of becoming a Prime Minister of Canada one day, he may be disappointed because that will never happen in a two party system.
Hegelian Dialectic
If one understands the mechanics of the Hegelian dialectic, you will understand the two party system, how public opinion is shaped/manipulated in order to implement special interest policy by way of Government legislation to become law of the land. The Hegelian dialectic is only affective in a two party system. In a nutshell, the Hegelian dialectic works like this; first there is a Thesis (problem), second, an Antithesis (reaction) develops in opposition to the Thesis, and lastly, the opposing forces of the Thesis and Antithesis eventually create a Synthesis (solution), that is (Problem, Reaction, Solution). The Hegelian dialectic (problem, reaction, solution) has been employed by the policy makers and lobbyists, the power elite (super-class) with unlimited resources at their disposal. Its mechanics is strategically implemented to deceive the citizens of the Country, to create an illusion of contrasting and opposing dialogue between carefully controlled public discourse (media), Government of the day and the Official Opposition. Therefore, this is how the Hegelian dialectic is employed by the power elite; the first step is a predetermined (solution) policy has already been made for us behind closed doors away from public scrutiny. Second, a (problem) is deliberately created. Third, the affected citizens of the country (react) to the deliberately created (problem) and demand the Government do something about the intentionally created problem, and lastly, the predetermined (solution) is implemented to become law, social engineering at it its finest.
I didn't know that about the Rhino party.. don't they all do that but lie about it!
Wow. I had no idea.
(And I'm laughing hard at furiousball's comment!)
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Ah, the Rhinos. How I miss the only 'sane' party in the Canadian pantheon. Hope you are well.
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