Political Partie

Introduction

Political parties provide the basis for Canadian government. Election choices are made simpler because Canadians can decide which candidate to vote for based on which party they wish to form the government. Political parties also structure most of work of the legislatures by organizing the members into disciplined blocs.

This section will look at the following aspects of political parties in Canada:

The Role of Political Parties

Political parties are central to an understanding of how Canadian politics works. The parties dominate the federal parliament and provincial legislatures, provide all governments and oppositions, and frame the nature of political debate.

How Parties Choose Their Leaders

In parliamentary systems of government, most political parties have an elected leader who, if his or her party is elected by absolute majority, or with a relative majority becomes head of government. Consequently, the choice of leader is a very important one and this section will look at how parties choose their leaders.

Federal Parties in Canada

An overview and history of the main political parties that have dominated Canada's federal politcal scene, as well as a look at the myriad of other political parties that exist - even if they don't have much, or any success at the polls.

Provincial Parties in Canada

A look at some of the unique parties that exist only at the provincial level in some provinces.