[Apollo]

Liberals + NDP = Conservative majority

Most Liberal supporters have more in common with the Conservative party than the NDP.

[HyperionTheEvil]

Apollo Apollo:

Liberals + NDP = Conservative majority

Most Liberal supporters have more in common with the Conservative party than the NDP.

Yes yes yes people were saying that about the PC and the Canadian Alliance. It's fear talking. Frankly the sooner the liberals and ndp stop splitting the vote in Ontario Quebec and everywhere else the better.

If they merge Canada can have a second strong party again as opposed to a second place and third place parties as we do know

[Khar]

Mr_Canada Mr_Canada:

I'm indifferent really. I feel that a united NDP and Liberal party would be a better bet at taking down the Cons then with them separated.

I am increasingly disappointed with the NDP and their avoidance with the word 'socialism'.

I'm honestly going to have to disagree on the latter bit. There has been waaaaay too much use of the term "socialism" and "fascism" used to describe the different ends of the political spectrum as of late, and I applaud that at least one party has chosen to tone it down -- if anything, I think it's something the liberals and conservatives should take note on and follow through with.

I really, really wish that my profile would populate the little C for conservative in my name as I type this...

As for the former, I would have to disagree with you there too. I think that there has been a real lack of direction which makes a lot of the more moderate liberals think that the conservatives might be a better party to bring about change at the moment. The Liberals main selling point to a lot of people is that they have these three cities which they are very big in, and that they aren't the conservatives or the NDP. I think if you joined them with the NDP, it wouldn't so much unite the left against the conservatives and simply reorg the left into a different set of political parties.

The conservatives were a little bit more united I think than was previously recognized. A lot of the members who were in one party were in the other. I think it's very hard to compare any situation directly to another one when it comes to the happenings within parliament, but I don't think the left will be as easy to unite as the right was because the left has a bit of a large spread in the spectrum as to what the different parties, or even MPs of those parties, may want.

[tritium]

I think this is great. The Liberals for same time have been leaning towards the Conservative Party, actually I am surprised that the didn't merge with the Conservatives.

This will bring the Liberals back to center left again.

[andyt]

tritium tritium:

I think this is great. The Liberals for same time have been leaning towards the Conservative Party, actually I am surprised that the didn't merge with the Conservatives.

This will bring the Liberals back to center left again.

Yep. We need a push back against the neocon agenda.

[kenmore]

I think that would be a good idea... they seem to be on the same page politically and it would be an alternative for a lot of people who reject the right wing ideology.

[BeaverFever]

Bacardi4206 Bacardi4206:

I already switched from NDP to conservative. I am more of a middle man which the NDP use to be or so I thought however they are just really fucking themselves up. Canada needs a middle party, one that aren't idiots. Let the NDP merge with the liberals and let somebody else form a new middle party that hopefully is less stupid than the NDP.

What? The NDP is and always has been the most left-wing party in Canadian history! It was formed as a coalition between the openly socialist CCF and labour unions, some of whom were not just socialist, but communist. It's founding charter originally called for "and end to capitalism".

The Liberals have always been the "middle man" party, which is why they have ruled Canada for most of our nation's history. As the ruling party of Canada, many of their members are "old money" families and deep ties have been formed between the party, business and the wealthy power establishment.

A coalition will (hopefully) drive these members across the aisle to conservatives where they belong. Surely, some ultra-left NDP'ers will defect to Greens as well. What remains unknown is how many voters will follow those members, I suspect probably not as many, but we'll really have to see, it will definitely change the electoral map. The new coalition will hopefully be able to claim a majority and then maybe we can see some real change on a couple of issues.

Most parties end up governing from the same centre anyway though, usually its the system that changes the politicians, not the other way around. About 85% of all the government policy you read and hear about happens regardless of which party is in power, its only that last 15% that depends on who won the election.

[Scape]

This is Rae's way of undermining Iffy for another shot at the leadership. He has a lot of useful idiots working with him like Broadbent and Jean chatting it up. He may get his way but he will only end up winning this battle just to lose the war with Harper. May not end up like another Kim Campbell but won't be far off. I think it's long since past for a match to be lit on both platforms and a whole new party for the progressive movement needs to be created. We will end up with a Harper majority by default as it stand now so maybe Harper can finally kick the BQ out of federal politics once and for all.

[Public_Domain]

[Mustang1]

These aren't the same parties, ideologically. While some overlap may exist regarding some policies, the Liberals have traditionally occupied the centre whereas the NDP have operated leftish, socially and economically. Perhaps common strategic goals may produce block voting, but I say "no" to a formal merger (and, yes, i'll admit, i'm disappointing with Iggy, but let's not get too desperate)

[Bruce_the_vii]

Mustang1 Mustang1:

These aren't the same parties, ideologically. While some overlap may exist regarding some policies, the Liberals have traditionally occupied the centre whereas the NDP have operated leftish, socially and economically. Perhaps common strategic goals may produce block voting, but I say "no" to a formal merger (and, yes, i'll admit, i'm disappointing with Iggy, but let's not get too desperate)

Good post. Not to get to upset because of Iggy.

[sandorski]

I'm not sure how this will work out. I'm not a fan of the NDP at all, but they have been moving towards the Center for the last couple decades, so such a merger might not be too bad. If the Liberals can keep from fundamentally moving Left, I may still Vote for them. I suspect they'll remain about where they are and some of the NDP Vote will move towards the Greens. In that situation a Liberal Minority is guaranteed, possibly even a Majority. The Conservatives are just not gaining the needed Confidence of the Voter in order to compete.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

sandorski sandorski:

I'm not sure how this will work out. I'm not a fan of the NDP at all, but they have been moving towards the Center for the last couple decades, so such a merger might not be too bad. If the Liberals can keep from fundamentally moving Left, I may still Vote for them. I suspect they'll remain about where they are and some of the NDP Vote will move towards the Greens. In that situation a Liberal Minority is guaranteed, possibly even a Majority. The Conservatives are just not gaining the needed Confidence of the Voter in order to compete.

Yep, the Liberals won't so much win the next election as the CPC will lose it.

[KorbenDeck]

I don't want any party to get majority since they always screw things up when they do. This also presents the danger of creating a two party political system like in the states, yes we will still have the BQ but on a national level this merger would make the BQ insignificant.

I would have to see what the new party has as a platform, if they still cater to minority groups and immigrants I will still not vote for them.

[sandorski]

KorbenDeck KorbenDeck:

I don't want any party to get majority since they always screw things up when they do. This also presents the danger of creating a two party political system like in the states, yes we will still have the BQ but on a national level this merger would make the BQ insignificant.

I would have to see what the new party has as a platform, if they still cater to minority groups and immigrants I will still not vote for them.

Definitely. I ant a Martin style Fiscal Policy, that being a Surplus and Debt Pay Down. Will take a few years to get back to there, but any Party that isn't committed to achieving that loses my Vote by Default.