Confirmation of Canada as a Progressive Country

Andrew Coyne has made the observation that this is the second consecutive minority government, the 5th of the last 7 and 11th of the last 22. In that time we’ve gone from 3 parties, to 4, to 5, and now to 6. While the first past the post system was supposed to do two things: deliver majority governments and drive out smaller parties, it is doing neither. What is this telling us is that given this political landscape it may be increasingly difficult to get to majority government in our system.   

So who speaks for Canadians? This is also the 5th election in the last 6 that the Liberals have finished slightly behind the Conservatives in the popular vote. But claims that that statistic suggests the thwarted will of the population are misleading. In fact 4 of the 6 parties: the Liberals, NDP, Bloc and Greens share a general overlap (with some differences to be sure) on a broad range of progressive issues including but not limited to: the existential challenge of climate change and the need to tax carbon; the need to shift to a green economy; the reality of Covid and the need for vaccine passports; the need to provide more affordable housing and affordable quality child care; reconciliation and renegotiation of relationships with first nations; gender equity and LGBTQ rights: the need to address systemic racism; women’s choice and the right to abortion; gun control; the primacy of public health and more resources for long term care. These four parties taken together represent a fairly stable 60+ % of Canadians.   

Two parties, the Conservatives and the new Peoples Party do not agree with these priorities and have a very different agenda. Together they represent less than 40% of Canadians across a right wing spectrum.  My take from the election is that it is time for the 4 parties on the progressive side to stop devoting their energies to attacking each other and concentrate on advancing on that progressive agenda pooling best ideas to move expeditiously on urgent shared priorities. Call it a loose informal ‘coalition’ or collaboration; it is the only way to move forward.   

I believe that is what is what Canadians have asked for.