List of federal political parties in Canada

In contrast with the political party systems of many nations, Canadian political parties at the federal level are often only loosely connected with parties at the provincial level, despite having similar names. One exception is the New Democratic Party, which is organizationally integrated with most of its provincial counterparts including a shared membership.

Current parties

These are all of the political parties registered with Elections Canada as of September 2018.[1]

Name Founded Ideology Leader MPs Most MPs Senators
  Liberal Party of Canada
Parti libéral du Canada		 1861 Liberalism Justin Trudeau 182 179 / 245
(1940)		 0
  Conservative Party of Canada 
Parti conservateur du Canada		 2003 Conservatism, economic liberalism Andrew Scheer 96 166 / 308
(2011)		 33
  New Democratic Party
Nouveau Parti démocratique		 1961 Social democracy, democratic socialism Jagmeet Singh 41 103 / 308
(2011)		 0
  Bloc Québécois 1991 Quebec sovereignty, social democracy Mario Beaulieu
(Interim)		 10 54 / 295
(1993)		 0
  Green Party of Canada
Parti vert du Canada		 1983 Green politics Elizabeth May 1 2 / 308
(2013)		 0
  Alliance of the North
Alliance du Nord		 2015 Social conservatism, right-wing populism François Bélanger 0 0 0
  Animal Protection Party of Canada 2005 Animal rights, environmentalism Liz White 0 0 0
  Christian Heritage Party of Canada
Parti de l'Héritage Chrétien du Canada		 1986 Social conservatism, Christian right Rodney L. Taylor 0 0 0
  Communist Party of Canada
Parti communiste du Canada		 1921 Marxism-Leninism Liz Rowley 0 3 / 245
(1945)[2]		 0
  Libertarian Party of Canada
Parti Libertarien du Canada		 1973 Libertarianism Tim Moen 0 0 0
  Marijuana Party
Parti Marijuana		 2000 Cannabis legalisation Blair Longley 0 0 0
  Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada
Parti Marxiste–Léniniste du Canada		 1970 Anti-Revisionist Marxism-Leninism Anna Di Carlo 0 0 0
  Progressive Canadian Party
Parti Progressiste Canadien		 2004 Red Toryism Joe Hueglin
(Interim)		 0 0 0
  Rhinoceros Party (II)
Parti Rhinocéros		 2006 Satirical party Sébastien Corriveau 0 0 0

Non-party parliamentary groups

At various points both the House of Commons and Senate have included non-party parliamentary groups, also called caucuses. These groups are unaffiliated with other Canadian political parties, are not registered with Elections Canada, and do not run candidates in Canadian federal elections. They exist only in a legislative, not electoral, capacity.

House of Commons

Parliamentary groups in the House of Commons of Canada are typically made up of MPs that separate from a party over leadership conflicts. Notable past parliamentary groups in the House of Commons include the Ginger Group (1924-1932; split from Progressive Party), Democratic Representative Caucus (2001-2002; split from Canadian Alliance), and Québec debout (2018; split from Bloc Québécois).

Senate

The Senate of Canada currently has two non-party parliamentary groups: the Senate Liberal Caucus and the Independent Senators Group. The Senate Liberal Caucus is made up of Senators who are personally members of the Liberal Party of Canada, but form a group that is organizationally and politically independent of both the Liberal Party structure and the Liberal caucus in the House of Commons. The Independent Senators Group includes non-partisan senators who, while not sharing a cohesive ideology or platform, have formed a caucus to provide organizational support and better leverage parliamentary resources. Conservative senators remain formally affiliated with the Conservative Party of Canada.

Name Founded Ideology Facilitator/Leader Senators
  Independent Senators Group
Groupe des sénateurs indépendants		 2016 Non-partisan Yuen Pau Woo 46
  Senate Liberal Caucus
Caucus libéral du Sénat		 2014 Liberalism Joseph A. Day 11

Historical parties and parliamentary groups

Name Founded Dissolved Ideology Most MPs
  Abolitionist Party of Canada 19931996 Social credit, monetary reform, social liberalism 0
  Anti-Confederation Party 18671867 Opposition to Confederation (membership in Canada), Nova Scotia separatism 18 / 180
(1867)
  Bloc populaire 19431949 Anti-conscription, Canadian nationalism, isolationism, French Canadian rights 4 / 245
(1943)
  The Bridge Party of Canada
Parti pour nouer des liens entre Canadiens		 201531 January 2017[3] Non-partisan 0
  Canada Party 19931996 0
  Canada Party (II)
Parti Canada		 201530 September 2016[4] 0
  Canadian Action Party
Parti action canadienne		 199731 March 2017[5] Canadian nationalism, anti-globalization 0
  Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance
Alliance réformiste-conservatrice canadienne		 20002003 Conservatism, right-wing populism, social conservatism[6][7][8] 66 / 301
(2001)
  Candidat libéral des électeurs 19621963 Social credit & liberalism 0
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Parti social démocratique du Canada		 19321961 Social democracy, democratic socialism, agrarianism[9] 31 / 245
(1948)
  Confederation of Regions Party of Canada 19841988 Regionalism, conserativism 0
  Conservative Party of Canada (I) and
Progressive Conservative of Canada		 1854
1942		2003 Canadian conservatism, Loyalism, Canadian nationalism (particularly under John Diefenbaker), Red Toryism, Economic Liberalism (under Brian Mulroney), moderation, occasional populism 208 / 265
(1958)
  Democratic Party of Canada 19451945 0
  Democratic Representative Caucus 20012002 Formed when several MPs left the Canadian Alliance due to the leadership of Stockwell Day, rejoined after Day lost leadership to Stephen Harper 13 / 301
(2002)
  Equal Rights 18901891 0
  First Peoples National Party of Canada 200531 July 2013[10] Aboriginal rights advocacy 0
  Ginger Group 19241932 progressivism, socialism 15 / 245
(1926)
  Labour Party of Canada 19261968 Trade unionism, socialism 4 / 245
(1926)
  Liberal-Progressive 19251955 Coalition between the Liberal Party and Progressive Party 8 / 245
(1926)
  Liberal Protectionist 19251930 Anti-free trade, protectionism 0
  McCarthyite 18961898 Anti-Catholic, anti-French, British imperialism 1 / 213
(1896)
  National Advancement Party of Canada 20142017 Canadian nationalism, anti-globalization, national conservatism, right-wing populism 0
  National Party of Canada (II) 19911994 Canadian nationalism, protectionism, progressivism 0
  Nationalist 18731963 Various parties and candidates 2 / 215
(1887)
  Nationalist Conservative 18781911 1 / 215
(1891)
  Natural Law Party of Canada
Parti de la loi naturelle du Canada		 199223 January 2004[11] New age 0
  New Capitalist Party 19651965 0
  Newfoundland and Labrador First Party 200731 January 2011[12] Newfoundland and Labrador advocacy 0
  Non-Partisan League 19171917 Agrarianism 0
  Parti de la Démocratisation Économique 19681968 0
  Parti Nationaliste du Quebec 19831987 Quebec independence 0
  Parti canadien 1942???? anti-conscription 1 / 245
(1942)
  Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency 201231 July 2016[13] 0
  Party for the Commonwealth of Canada 19841993 LaRouchite 0
  Patrons of Industry 18901900 Pro-labour 2 / 213
(1896)
  People's Political Power Party of Canada
Pouvoir Politique du Peuple du Canada		 200613 April 2011[14] Feminist, centrist, populist
  Pirate Party of Canada
Parti Pirate du Canada		 2010 2017 Roderick Lim
  Progressive Party of Canada
Parti progressiste du Canada		 19211948 Agrarian, free trade, progressivism 61 / 235
(1921)
  Progressive-Conservative 19251935 1 / 245
(1930)
  Protestant Protective Association 1896???? Anti-Catholic 0
  Québec debout/Groupe parliamentaire québécois 20182018 Formed when several MPs left the Bloc Québécois due to the leadership of Martine Ouellet. Rejoined after she lost a leadership review vote and resigned. 7 / 338
(2018)
  Radical chrétien 19581967 0
  Ralliement créditiste 19631971 Split from the Social Credit Party; see Social Credit Party of Canada split, 1963. 14 / 264
(1968)
  Reconstruction Party of Canada 19351938 Keynesianism, National Conservatism, Isolationism 1 / 245
(1935)
  Reform Party of Canada
Parti réformiste du Canada		 19872000 Fiscal conservatism, regionalism, social conservatism, democratic reform 60 / 301
(1997)
  Republican Party
Parti republicain		 19641971 0
  Rhinoceros Party (I)
Parti Rhinocéros		 19681993 Satirical 0
  Seniors Party of Canada
Parti des aînés du Canada		 201430 November 2016[15] 0
  Social Credit Party of Canada
Parti Crédit social du Canada		 19351993 Canadian Social credit, Canadian Conservatism, Right-wing populism, Social conservatism 30 / 265
(1962)
  Socialist Labour Party 19451968 Socialism 0
  Socialist Party of Canada (I) 19041925 Socialism 0
  Socialist Party of Canada (II) 19311961 0
  Strength in Democracy
Forces et Démocratie		 201430 September 2016[16] Social democracy, regionalism 2 / 308
(2015)
  Union des électeurs 19391949 Social Credit 0
  Union Populaire 19791981 independentist (precursor of Bloc Québécois) 0
  United Party of Canada
Parti Uni du Canada		 200931 August 2016[17] Centrism 0
  United Reform 19391940 Far left 1 / 245
(1939)
  Western Block Party 200531 January 2014[18] western separatist and paleoconservative/libertarian conservative 0
  Work Less Party 200731 July 2010[19] labour rights 0

Other designations

Designations used by single candidates

Unofficial designations

The following parties do not appear on the federal election archive.[20] They either did not run candidates in any election or ran candidates as independents.

Pre-confederation political parties

Name changes

Communist Party

The Communist Party of Canada changed its name multiple times in its history. It was founded as the Communist Party of Canada in 1921. From 1938 until 1943 its candidates ran under the banner Unity or United Progressive. In 1943 it adopted the name Labor-Progressive Party. It won one seat under this name in 1945. In 1959 it reverted to the name Communist Party of Canada and has kept that name to the present.

The Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada unofficially uses the name "Communist Party of Canada (Marxist–Leninist)", but Elections Canada does not allow it to be registered by that name because of potential confusion with the Communist Party of Canada.

Labour Party

Labour Party candidates ran under numerous different designations:

  • Conservative-Labour (1872-1875)
  • Farmer Labour
  • Farmer-United Labour
  • Labour-Farmer
  • Liberal-Labour (1926-1968)
  • National Labour (1940)
  • United Farmers-Labour (1920)
  • United Farmers of Ontario-Labour (1919-1940)
Liberal Party

During Robert Borden's coalition government of 1917-1920, the Liberal Party of Canada split into two groups: the Liberal–Unionist who supported the coalition and the Laurier Liberals who opposed it.

Liberal-Progressive

Some Liberal-Progressive candidates used the designations:

  • Liberal-Labour-Progressive or
  • National Liberal Progressive.
New Democratic Party

The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation used the name New Party from 1958-1961 while it was transitioning to become the New Democratic Party. In French, the party used a literal translation of its name, Fédération du Commonwealth Coopératif, from until 1955.

Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency

The Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency was founded as the Online Party of Canada.

Progressive Conservative Party

The first Conservative Party used several different names during its existence:

The second (and current) Conservative Party of Canada was a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party.

Progressive Party and United Farmers

Some candidates for the Progressive Party of Canada used United Farmer designations:

Rhinoceros Party

The first Rhinoceros Party disbanded in 1993. When it was revived in 2006 it used the name "neorhino.ca". The party changed its name to Rhinoceros Party in 2010.

Social Credit Party and Ralliement créditiste

Some Ralliement créditiste used the name Ralliement des créditistes from 1963 to 1967. One candidate used the designation Candidats des électeurs in 1957 and 1958.

In the 1940 election, 17 candidates ran jointly with the Social Credit Party under the name New Democracy.

See also

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Includes members using temporary party names Unity and Labor-Progressive Party.
  3. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#bridge
  4. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#canpar
  5. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#CAP
  6. ↑ Howard A. Leeson (2001). Saskatchewan Politics: Into the Twenty-first Century. University of Regina Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-88977-131-4.
  7. ↑ Janet Miron (2009). A History of Human Rights in Canada: Essential Issues. Canadian Scholars’ Press. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-55130-356-7.
  8. ↑ Carol Gould; Pasquale Paquino (1 January 2001). Cultural Identity and the Nation-state. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8476-9677-2.
  9. ↑ Seymour Martin Lipset (1971). Agrarian Socialism: The Cooperative Commonwealth Federation in Saskatchewan : a Study in Political Sociology. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-02056-6. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  10. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#FPNP
  11. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#Natural
  12. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#nlf
  13. ↑ "Deregistration of Western Block Party". Elections Canada.
  14. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#ppp
  15. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#senior
  16. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#fordem
  17. ↑ http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#upc
  18. ↑ "Deregistration of Western Block Party". Elections Canada. January 28, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Deregistration of Western Block Party". Elections Canada.
  20. ↑ http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=C
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