[SteveK]

With the growing strength of the NDP, and the seeming downwards trend of the Liberal Party, do you think it's possible the Left will merge into one party?

I ask this because we saw what happened in the political Right when the votes were being split with the PC and the Canadian Alliance. Now it's the case that the left is being split between the LPC and the NDP, where the only thing preventing a left wing government is the votes being split.

So do you think it's possible?

And are you fearful about the Canadian system slowly beginning to resemble the American system? (speaking in regards to the polarized political culture, etc.)

[DerbyX]

Were the NDP destroyed back in the late 80s early 90s?

[jeff744]

The right wing is only temporarily united because they have Harper, one weak leader and they will split again. Canada does not have two dominant views anymore and the old days of usually only having the Liberal and Cons (in some form) are long over. The only left merger would be a temporary alliance to usurp Harper, NDP and Liberals differ in policy enough that a long term union will never happen.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

I don't really see a drastic polarization happening in the near future, as it seems more and more people are discovering the centre.

OTOH, with the way Canadians like to use the strategic vote, a two party system might not be that bad if there was ever a close enough split in the vote.

Imagine, neither party having a clear mandate so they'd actually have to work together.
Ah, to dream

[DerbyX]

PublicAnimalNo9 wrote:

I don't really see a drastic polarization happening in the near future, as it seems more and more people are discovering the centre.

OTOH, with the way Canadians like to use the strategic vote, a two party system might not be that bad if there was ever a close enough split in the vote.

Imagine, neither party having a clear mandate so they'd actually have to work together.
Ah, to dream

But they aren't. The closest we had in recent years was the Dion-Layton coalition.

[Thanos]

Doubtful. Just cause the Libs are having a hard time right now doesn't mean that they'll stay stuck there permanently. There's also simply not enough hardcore leftists inside the Liberals to really see any long-term alliance with the NDP occuring. And the NDP has enough of a bad rep from what some of their provincial governments have done over the years (especially by Bob Rae in Ontario) that I highly doubt that they'll ever have the crossover appeal on a national level to supplant the Liberals as the primary banner-holders of the center-left.

As much as I hate it, all the Liberals really have to do is develop some tougher and more organized leaders, who also aren't complete idiots in the way Dion and Ignatz have been, and they're right back into the game. At worst they're really only down at any given moment by a couple of goals, not by ten.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

DerbyX wrote:

PublicAnimalNo9 wrote:

I don't really see a drastic polarization happening in the near future, as it seems more and more people are discovering the centre.

OTOH, with the way Canadians like to use the strategic vote, a two party system might not be that bad if there was ever a close enough split in the vote.

Imagine, neither party having a clear mandate so they'd actually have to work together.
Ah, to dream

But they aren't. The closest we had in recent years was the Dion-Layton coalition.

It didn't work cuz there's two extra parties gumming up the works. The idea could work under a two party system. It worked pretty well in Ontario in the 70s when the Libs and PC pretty much split the vote. The NDP weren't even worth hooking up with for either party to gain an advantage.

[DerbyX]

PublicAnimalNo9 wrote:

DerbyX wrote:

PublicAnimalNo9 wrote:

I don't really see a drastic polarization happening in the near future, as it seems more and more people are discovering the centre.

OTOH, with the way Canadians like to use the strategic vote, a two party system might not be that bad if there was ever a close enough split in the vote.

Imagine, neither party having a clear mandate so they'd actually have to work together.
Ah, to dream

But they aren't. The closest we had in recent years was the Dion-Layton coalition.

It didn't work cuz there's two extra parties gumming up the works. The idea could work under a two party system. It worked pretty well in Ontario in the 70s when the Libs and PC pretty much split the vote. The NDP weren't even worth hooking up with for either party to gain an advantage.

True. We are about 70% "left" and 30% "right". If you look at total support of the Libs-NDP-Greens you get above 60% (the Bloc fucks up calculations).

If it were a divided right then it would be a different story. The reform/alliance always stayed low. Only a united right could defeat a liberal (note lower case) party.

If we were a 2 party country the right wing CPC would be foundering.

[jeff744]

DerbyX wrote:

True. We are about 70% "left" and 30% "right". If you look at total support of the Libs-NDP-Greens you get above 60% (the Bloc fucks up calculations).

If it were a divided right then it would be a different story. The reform/alliance always stayed low. Only a united right could defeat a liberal (note lower case) party.

If we were a 2 party country the right wing CPC would be foundering.

The current conservative party is showing signs that it won't last either, a few of their big leaders have been leaving.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

Oh dayum, could you imagine the CPC and LPC winding up in such internal disarray that the NDP took power? I think Layton would shit his pants, or jizz in 'em, not really sure

[jeff744]

PublicAnimalNo9 wrote:

Oh dayum, could you imagine the CPC and LPC winding up in such internal disarray that the NDP took power? I think Layton would shit his pants, or jizz in 'em, not really sure

Well, the Liberals have already completely lost most of the west, all it will take is some major conservative screwups (NEP for Alberta) and they will also lose a fairly major region.

[PostFactum]

Not two, but about only few I'm sure. I don't think that Canada has some ground for two party system, too many different parties with different ideas that Canadians are always ready to support.

[jeff744]

PostFactum wrote:

Not two, but about only few I'm sure. I don't think that Canada has some ground for two party system, too many different parties with different ideas that Canadians are always ready to support.

Pretty much exactly right, the old system where we had two dominant parties is long over, nowadays anything could happen encluding the possibility of an NDP victory in the near future (may be a few elections but when the Harpercons split and if the Liberals continue to slip they are the next largest party).

[Arctic_Menace]

If Harper gets his majority and eliminates federal subsidies, then the Green Party, Bloc and NDP have the most to lose.

[Mustang1]

Simple answer - no. It doesn't matter what approach you use, parties serve a myriad of functions in our system and the complex reasons for the emergence of different political representation aren't going away anytime soon.