NDP & Liberal Merge

[bornagainbiking]

Good, bad or Ugly. This will be one big task especially after the NDP & BQ merge. Try and meld that platform and find a mutually agreed upon leader. Good luck, it will be interesting.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Hey, if the moderate PC's and radical Reform/Alliance can come together, it's not inconceivable for the split left to do so as well.

[osmo]

This would be ideal for Harper and Cons. I honestly think its what they pray for each night. A sided Left-right Parliament with no rules to limit corporate and labour influences would be the final nail in our already flimsy democratic system. It would turn into the laughable circus Americans have. I wouldn't be a big fan of it, it seems like a natural thing to do but having a odd number of parties IMO is ideal to keeping things in order.

[jigglysquishy]

The PC and Reform merger is one of the most politically devastating things to happen to this country politically.

And NDP & Liberal merger would just increase that damage.

Imagine a Canada where only two political parties exist. That's not the Canada I want to live in.

[vid]

They should all merge into one party. They're all pretty much the same, and whoever is in charge with a majority will have almost absolute power, so why even bother with democracy? Everyone complains about having to vote, anyway. With a dictator, we wouldn't have to spend $300,000,000 on an election ever again!

[Spocket]

If the NDP merged with the Liberals then a lot of people who consider themselves centrists would probably choose to simply not vote or , conversely , vote Conservative . As we've seen , with the Liberals devastated through poor leadership , people simply migrated to the NDP . When the Liberals choose a better leader they'll probably recapture parliament . Personally I think they're being rather hasty .

Either way , I despise the NDP but will vote Liberal . A merger would definitely force me to either vote Conservative perpetually or abstain altogether .

@ Freeweed ,

Don't worry , I know you didn't mean to include my comment .

[freeweed]

Gotta say I completely agree with the last 2 comments. Personally I'd love to see 4, 5, 6 parties in the HoC. Let's force some damn coalitions. The best thing Jack and the NDP ever did was act as a check on the Harper minority. Forcing them to actually compromise.

But then again, I'm a believer in "the government that governs least governs best". Majority parliaments are horrible for the country, tons of pointless new legislation gets passed. Just look at the morass the US is in - they pretty much have perpetual majority governments, and it's destroying their country.

Taking this one step further, I'd also be in favour of banning the political party as a concept. Let our representatives REPRESENT US. Not whatever particular allegiance they've happened to align with this month (switching parties because it's politically expedient is one of the most heinous things they do).

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

Hey, if the moderate PC's and radical Reform/Alliance can come together, it's not inconceivable for the split left to do so as well.

The Reform/Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives had been one party though that split up. The NDP and Liberals were never one party.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Gotta say I completely agree with the last 2 comments. Personally I'd love to see 4, 5, 6 parties in the HoC. Let's force some damn coalitions. The best thing Jack and the NDP ever did was act as a check on the Harper minority. Forcing them to actually compromise.

But then again, I'm a believer in "the government that governs least governs best". Majority parliaments are horrible for the country, tons of pointless new legislation gets passed. Just look at the morass the US is in - they pretty much have perpetual majority governments, and it's destroying their country.

I do agree with most of this. I guess its why I get labeled a Small 'c' con or a libertarian. I'm neither.

But back on topic here I do find that countries with a strong history of coalitions have policy that greater reflects their people. The only downside is that the process becomes even more muddy and bogged down, but governance is never pretty, nor sexy so I would be open to the idea of having 5 or 6 parties.

If the greens we're actually progressive and not just Conservatives who shop at Whole Foods maybe they would be a bigger voice on the hill.

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Taking this one step further, I'd also be in favour of banning the political party as a concept. Let our representatives REPRESENT US.

I've never been able to figure out why nobody seems able to make this idea work . I mean , I know the deal and I know why it isn't that way but really , how is it democratic to cast a vote that benefits somebody I may not be particularly keen on ?

[Aylmer]

This is a tough question for me: I've got to somehow reconcile my wish for more parties and more cooperation within the HoC and my concerns with the current Government's policies and ethics.

Maybe one party could not present candidates in certain ridings to the benefit of the other party who would do the same in other ridings and form a coalition for a parliament. After all, it was the vote split that has kept Mr.Harper in power, not Conservatives.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

After all, it was the vote split that has kept Mr.Harper in power, not Conservatives.

The founding of the Reform party was basically what gave Cretien majority after majority. It's a pretty common theme in Canadian politics of late.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by freeweed

The founding of the Reform party was basically what gave Cretien majority after majority. It's a pretty common theme in Canadian politics of late.

Which is why we need to have proportional representation (Swing seats and whatnot). Things like these don't happen in Germany or New Zealand for a reason.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

Which is why we need to have proportional representation (Swing seats and whatnot). Things like these don't happen in Germany or New Zealand for a reason.

Pretty much this. If we had PR the results would make a bit more sense, and the likelihood for a majority increases.

I'm all for more parties in the HoC. More people and different views needs to be represented, instead of just the bland left v. right. America has one of the most boring political setups solely because of their Democrats v. Republicans. I prefer when races are between three to four candidates instead of just two.

[ckkelley]

I don't think it'll ever happen. There's too many blue Liberals and too many orange NDPers.

[whatnext]

Won't happen. The NDP is already fracturing in the face of the upcoming leadership contest.

[Aylmer]

Originally Posted by GregHickman

Pretty much this. If we had PR the results would make a bit more sense, and the likelihood for a majority increases.

Actually, it would let smaller parties get into the house with more ease. The chances of a majority would actually be smaller with a PRep system.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Aylmer

Actually, it would let smaller parties get into the house with more ease. The chances of a majority would actually be smaller with a PRep system.

Right, right, PR. I had my electoral systems mixed up for a second.

[samne]

Wont and shouldnt happen.

Liberals are a centrist party. This is why they have done so historically well. Its a balanced approach.

They have almost as much in common with the NDP as they do the Cons.

Alot of NDP and Cons would like to portray the Liberals as a dead. Cons would love nothing more than a Lib/NDP merger, cause it would be them vs. the "Socialists". The NDP would solidify themselves as a potential government in waiting and not some one-off.

Federally the Liberals have some issues. However, lets not forget that Liberals currently govern the Canada's 3 largest provinces.

[PoscStudent]

Originally Posted by samne

Federally the Liberals have some issues. However, lets not forget that Liberals currently govern the Canada's 3 largest provinces.

Not really. The BC Liberals are a party made up of federal Liberals and federal Conservatives, though Christy Clark has ties with the federal Liberals. The party has no affiliation with the Liberals and I believe I heard a stat that 60% of BC Liberals support the Conservatives.

The Quebec Liberals are a federalist party made up of federal Liberals, Conservatives and New Democrats. Jean Charest is the former Progressive Conservative leader. The party also has so affiliation with the federal Liberals.

The Ontario Liberals are most closely aligned with the Federal Liberals, though they still haven't been affiliated since the 80's.

As well none of these parties are very popular is their provinces.