It's interesting to note that Americans can register as "Independents" if they don't like what the two main parties (Democratic and Republican) offer.
For their part, Canadians don't have such an option. So those with independent ideological and philosophical outlooks that overlap with the major parties (Liberal and Conservative) are forced to choose either or.The problem is even more stark at the provincial level in Quebec. For English-speaking Quebecers, the Parti Quebecois will never be an option. This grants the Liberal party a "fixed" amount of votes they can always depend on. The bad part about this deal is there's no incentive to speak on behalf of the English-speaking minority.
Would it serve us better if we had the choice of being independent? I'm sure there are many in Canada.
Canada has 19 registered political parties. They usually field some candidates somewhere. I'm sure at the last federal election Laval had some. There were seven candidates in my county.
ReplyDeleteOf course they are fringe parties but they come in very handy for protest votes. They will never be in power but then the US independants will never be either.
By the way, at the provincial level Québec has 20.
I'm well aware of that as I always provide links and info to other parties during election time at the provincial and federal levels.
ReplyDeleteThe point is we don't have "independents" nor do we register.
Why should we "register"? In Canada a vote is confidential and a personal matter. You can be a card carrying member of a party but you don't have to plaster it all over the country.
ReplyDeleteAgain, if you're "independent" or as we call it "centrist" where to go?
ReplyDeleteCurrently no party fringe ot otherwise occupies the center. If you really are walking that thin line then, I agree, you have nowhere to go to. Registering or not would not change that. Despite registering as independant a USAer still has to vote Dem or Rep or for Ross Perrot, not exactly a centrist, or Ralph Nader, same thing.
ReplyDeleteCurrently no party fringe ot otherwise occupies the center. If you really are walking that thin line then, I agree, you have nowhere to go to. Registering or not would not change that. Despite registering as independant a USAer still has to vote Dem or Rep or for Ross Perrot, not exactly a centrist, or Ralph Nader, same thing.
ReplyDeleteYes, they do still have to choose.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm in the cracks.
You are in the cracks my friend and, to a lesser extent, so am I. Tomorrow, I will vote for a mayor and for a councillor opposed to that mayor...and I guess lots of people will do the same.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there should have the choice of being independent here in Canada too. If we cannot choose between the conservatives and liberals, third option is always nice, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteJay
Unless you like the NDP.
ReplyDelete