Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - 40th Canadian Federal Election - Welcome to another Conservative Minority (whee!)

Thunderball · 10-14-2008, 10:49 AM

I'd say technically, you're both right.

The Liberals are the median party, hence, in the centre of Canadian polity. They are also the most frequently elected, and typically in the 40% range when they do. For that reason, Cheese is correct.

However, the fact is the Liberals are not a centrist party by political ideology. They are very clearly a centre-left party with fringes that appeal to the centre (like Paul Martin). Their most influential leaders in recent history were clearly left of centre (Trudeau, Chretien), one of which was actually a former card-carrying communist. Even though more Canadians vote for the middle party, they are not necessarily centrist... just less leftist than the NDP, or not centrist with right leanings. The Liberals chase the median voter. In Canada, that is a left-leaning centrist. For that reason, Resolute 14 is correct.

We do not have a conventional centre-left, centrist, centre-right alignment with our political parties. In practice, its more left, centre-left, centre-right. In the US, their two are more Centrist to Centre Right, v. Centre-Right to Hard Right, depending on leadership.

10-14-2008, 10:49 AM	#959
Thunderball Franchise Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Calgary, AB Exp:	I'd say technically, you're both right. The Liberals are the median party, hence, in the centre of Canadian polity. They are also the most frequently elected, and typically in the 40% range when they do. For that reason, Cheese is correct. However, the fact is the Liberals are not a centrist party by political ideology. They are very clearly a centre-left party with fringes that appeal to the centre (like Paul Martin). Their most influential leaders in recent history were clearly left of centre (Trudeau, Chretien), one of which was actually a former card-carrying communist. Even though more Canadians vote for the middle party, they are not necessarily centrist... just less leftist than the NDP, or not centrist with right leanings. The Liberals chase the median voter. In Canada, that is a left-leaning centrist. For that reason, Resolute 14 is correct. We do not have a conventional centre-left, centrist, centre-right alignment with our political parties. In practice, its more left, centre-left, centre-right. In the US, their two are more Centrist to Centre Right, v. Centre-Right to Hard Right, depending on leadership.