Is left-right ideology still relevant in Canadian Politics?

[Bunk]

Ideology not guiding Alberta voters, CBC poll shows


Left-right political spectrum more important for men than women

Brooks DeCillia CBC News

Whereas pitched battles over ideology tore families — and even countries — apart in the past, a new poll done for CBC News reveals only about one third of Albertans believe the left-right distinction remains meaningful anymore.

For a majority of Albertans — 62 per cent — ideology likely won't play a role in deciding who to vote for in the coming spring election.

Return on Insight's (ROI) telephone survey for CBC found that the ideological left-right spectrum is somewhat more important to voters in Calgary, compared to Edmonton and voters outside Alberta's two major cities.

The poll also shows Wildrose supporters, and older voters, believe left-right is more meaningful.

As well, ideology tends to matter more to Alberta men (41 per cent) compared to women (35 per cent)...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...-roi-poll.html


I've long felt that federally, regional alliance and a convergance of policy between the federal conservatives and liberals have pushed ideologically-driven people to the fringes.

In Alberta the popularity of the likes of Nenshi and Redford seems to signal a shift toward more pragmatic, centrist, less ideologically-driven leadership. Then again, perhaps it's long been this way in Alberta politics. Peter Lougheed has always argued that you must govern from the centre in Alberta, because that's where the population is.

Discuss.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its been that way for a while, the reform party couldn't make any inroads nor could the conservatives with right wing driven policies, they had most of their major successes when they moved towards a centrist mandate and took the political spectrum off of the table.

The Liberal's were outright punished in the last election because they shifted so far to the Left that they echo'd the NDP.

Canadain politics is all about balance now with real world issues taking a strong precidence over ideology based platforms. The NDP did buck that model a bit, but I don't think anyone even listened to the NDP platform, they were the ultimate protest vote in this election headed by a charasmatic man, it wasn't about a jump to the left (and take a step to the righ right righ righ right)

Even if you look at Right Wing policy claims in Canda, those policies are fairly centrist in the grand scheme of things.

The only people that are concerned about left and right wing policies are the people on the far radical sides of the spectrum, everyone else evaluates on a issue by issue basis. People that set a strict ideology based on the specturm are getting left behind.

[Bunk]

I think Chris Rock said it well:

NSFW!

[Grimbl420]

Being as Alberta has been the most polar Conservative province in Canada for a while now, and as a former resident of Alberta myself, I find this "Polls" findings a little hard to believe.

The next time a party not swaying to the right side of the political spectrum holds a majority in Alberta either federally or provincially I'll eat my pubes.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Indeed. Alberta - where discussions regarding the political spectrum go like this: "Are we right enough?"

[TurnedTheCorner]

Also, civic politics don't count. Because lol.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Grimbl420

Being as Alberta has been the most polar Conservative province in Canada for a while now, and as a former resident of Alberta myself, I find this "Polls" findings a little hard to believe.

The next time a party not swaying to the right side of the political spectrum holds a majority in Alberta either federally or provincially I'll eat my pubes.

You mean like Alison Redford's conservatives? Hard to argue they're on the right. Big government for everyone.

[Bunk]

The PCs in Alberta are a governing party - they occupy the middle of the political spectrum, pushing their rivals to the periphery. It would be hard to argue, in my view, that their actual policies are any more conservative than for example the Liberal Party in BC or the Liberal Party in Ontario.

Things like fiscal responsibility are now simply orthodoxy (and have been for twenty years), and real hot button social issues (same sex marriage, abortion, capital punishment) simply are not issues at all anymore.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Ideology not guiding Alberta voters, CBC poll shows


Left-right political spectrum more important for men than women

Brooks DeCillia CBC News

Whereas pitched battles over ideology tore families — and even countries — apart in the past, a new poll done for CBC News reveals only about one third of Albertans believe the left-right distinction remains meaningful anymore.

For a majority of Albertans — 62 per cent — ideology likely won't play a role in deciding who to vote for in the coming spring election.

Return on Insight's (ROI) telephone survey for CBC found that the ideological left-right spectrum is somewhat more important to voters in Calgary, compared to Edmonton and voters outside Alberta's two major cities.

The poll also shows Wildrose supporters, and older voters, believe left-right is more meaningful.

As well, ideology tends to matter more to Alberta men (41 per cent) compared to women (35 per cent)...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...-roi-poll.html


I've long felt that federally, regional alliance and a convergance of policy between the federal conservatives and liberals have pushed ideologically-driven people to the fringes.

In Alberta the popularity of the likes of Nenshi and Redford seems to signal a shift toward more pragmatic, centrist, less ideologically-driven leadership. Then again, perhaps it's long been this way in Alberta politics. Peter Lougheed has always argued that you must govern from the centre in Alberta, because that's where the population is.

Discuss.

I actually am a little concerned that you lump Nenshi - someone I support as being the brighest guy in the room - with Redford, who is by no means the same. The only way that I can see these two being compared is if you did it with a Left-Right style brush, one I do not agree with.

[GP_Matt]

Two thoughts,
Municipal politics are quite different from provincial and federal politics. I think because municipal politics are involved in more social issues and are closer to the people they are representing.
As for the right-left spectrum I think the issue is that it can't be a straight line but more of a quadrant based scatter plot. I personally identify with fiscal conservatives on the "right side" of the spectrum but also find myself identifying with the "left side" on most social issues. As a firm believer in both gay marriage and fiscally responsible government I don't know where to put myself on the spectrum. I would guess there are quite a few people who identify with both sides and therefore disagree with the idea of a left-right divide.

[Grimbl420]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The PCs in Alberta are a governing party - they occupy the middle of the political spectrum, pushing their rivals to the periphery. It would be hard to argue, in my view, that their actual policies are any more conservative than for example the Liberal Party in BC or the Liberal Party in Ontario.

Things like fiscal responsibility are now simply orthodoxy (and have been for twenty years), and real hot button social issues (same sex marriage, abortion, capital punishment) simply are not issues at all anymore.

I actually laughed out loud at this point. Just because these topics may not seem to be at the forefront of political campaigning doesn't mean there not part of political parties ideology. Just ask any gay rights, pro choice, or pro life activist if these are political non issues anymore.

There are also other hot button social issues that deal with ideology, like marijuana law reforms, and the big one right now Privacy laws.

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Bunk

The PCs in Alberta are a governing party - they occupy the middle of the political spectrum, pushing their rivals to the periphery. It would be hard to argue, in my view, that their actual policies are any more conservative than for example the Liberal Party in BC or the Liberal Party in Ontario.

FYI, the BC "Liberals" are likely similarly or more conservative than the Federal Conservatives.

[Hatter]

Thou shalt hug the middle.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Knalus

I actually am a little concerned that you lump Nenshi - someone I support as being the brighest guy in the room - with Redford, who is by no means the same. The only way that I can see these two being compared is if you did it with a Left-Right style brush, one I do not agree with.

I completely agree with this. My last votes were Nenshi and Wild Rose, and I was an early adopter to both. I get that Nenshi would be perceived as way more "left" than the wild rose, but that doesn't seem especially relevant.

We're talking about huge amounts of money, and it should be spent in a responsible, intelligent way. Nenshi has that in spades. Redford absolutely doesn't. Huge difference.

The political spectrum isn't as relevant as competence and good decision making.

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by Grimbl420

I actually laughed out loud at this point. Just because these topics may not seem to be at the forefront of political campaigning doesn't mean there not part of political parties ideology. Just ask any gay rights, pro choice, or pro life activist if these are political non issues anymore.

There are also other hot button social issues that deal with ideology, like marijuana law reforms, and the big one right now Privacy laws.

I think you missed the point. They might be political ideologies to zealots but the libs/cons/ndp have no interest in these anymore, nor do a vast majority of Canadians.

[Bunk]

Not comparing competency, but decision making. I don't see Redford as neatly "right" or "left" not particularly driven by those paradigms, that's all.

[Sainters7]

Those who helped push through the new Alberta high school SS curriculum back in '06 (and remove a ton of cool history from it in the process) wouldn't be happy to hear that. Ideology (and the political spectrum) is the theme of SS 30, and basically all you cover the entire semester.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Grimbl420

I actually laughed out loud at this point. Just because these topics may not seem to be at the forefront of political campaigning doesn't mean there not part of political parties ideology. Just ask any gay rights, pro choice, or pro life activist if these are political non issues anymore.

There are also other hot button social issues that deal with ideology, like marijuana law reforms, and the big one right now Privacy laws.

But that's the point, those issues are not at the forefront of Canadian political discourse. Of course they remain an issue for some, but you wouldn't see a leader campaign on it like you would in a place like the US for instance.

[Yeah_Baby]

Don't kid yourselves, ideology is still incredibly relevant.

[Notorious Honey Badger]

I find it intellectually dishonest to no end to suggest that Alberta isn't totally conservative.