Susan Delacourt wonders if the Liberal party isn’t drawing its last breaths. Not unrelatedly, Stephen Clarkson plots the rise and fall of centrism and frets for it all.
Which political organization or organizations oppose this dangerous figure do not matter to most citizens, although the issue preoccupies militant New Democrats and loyal Liberals. What does matter is that the former centre, which now becomes the left alternative to Harper’s extremism, must regain power if a parliamentary civic culture is to be restored. Unless this restoration happens soon, it is hard to believe that it can be done without adding 21st-century, global wings to energize and internationalize what has become the country’s social-market alternative.
For the sake of argument, here are the popular vote share changes in the six applicable elections this year.
Federal
New Democrats +12.5
Conservatives +2.0
Liberals -7.4
Manitoba
Conservatives +6.0
New Democrats -2.0
Liberals -4.6
Ontario
New Democrats +6.0
Conservatives +3.8
Liberals -4.6
PEI
New Democrats +1.2
Conservatives -1.2
Liberals -1.5
Newfoundland
New Democrats +16.1
Liberals -2.6
Conservatives -13.5
Yukon
New Democrats +9.0
Conservatives -0.1
Liberals -9.5