Analysis of Canada's Political Parties & Elected Representatives - Research Paper

Introduction

In Canada, riding is an electoral district for federal, provincial, or territorial elections. A member of parliament leads federal riding. A member of the provincial parliament heads provincial riding while a municipal counselor heads the ward. This paper analyses the three dominating political parties in Canada, including the analysis of the representatives of these ridings as well as political parties and their representatives

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Dough Ford was born on 20th November 1964 in Etobicoke, Ontario. He spent most of his working life at Deco Labels and Tags; a company co-founded by his father. Ford later became the president of Deco. From 2010-2014, he served as Toronto city councilor for Ward 2 Etobicoke North. He was also the ward's vice-chair of the Budget Committee (Canadian Encyclopedia). Ford also served on the Board of Build Toronto while on the city council, and was the Canadian National Exhibition director.

Additionally, Ford served on the Civics appointment committee and government Management Committee at the council. In March 2018, Ford won the Leadership of the Progressive Consecutive Party of Ontario (Canadian Encyclopedia). He became premier of Ontario months later when the PCs won a majority government. A distinct impression of Ford is that he is a committed community leader and successful businessman with Deco labels. His dedication to the public seems to run in the family.

Michael Ford

Michael Ford was born in Toronto in 1994. He attended Richview Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke and graduated in 2012. Ford was first elected to public office in 2014 as Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee for Etobicoke North. He was also the vice-chair of the Board's finance committee. In 2016, he was elected to Toronto City Council and re-elected in 2018. Before becoming a city Councilor, he worked to ensure the 3.2 billion budgets for TDSB was spent effectively to benefit students.

Ford also co-chaired the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee and Inner City Advisory Council, where he advocated for safe schools. As a counselor for the ward, he also serves as the designate of the mayor on the Toronto Community Housing Corporation Board of Directors. He is a sitting member of various boards and committees, including the Audit Committee, Toronto Police Services Board, Canadian National Exhibition Association Board, and the Economic and Community Development Committee. Based on Ford's biography, he seems to deliver excellent services to his constituents.

Kirsty Duncan

She was born in 1966 in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. Duncan attended Kipling Collegiate Institute and graduated in 1995 (Toronto). She owns a degree in geography and anthropology from the University of Toronto and a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. From 1993-2000, Duncan taught meteorology, climatology and climate change at the University of Windsor. In February 2008, she was appointed as the next Liberal candidate after Roy Cullen announced his disinterest in the subsequent federal election (Canadian Encyclopedia). In the 2008 general election, she was elected as the Member of the House of Commons-Etobicoke North.

She was re-elected in the 2011 and 2012 general election to maintain her position. On 4th November 2015, Duncan was appointed as the Cabinet Minister by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She also became the Minister of Sports and Persons with Disabilities in 2008, following the resignation of Kent Hehr. Duncan's bibliography gives the impression that she is a hardworking, dedicated, and focused leader who can hold multiple offices simultaneously. Her continuous re-elections also show that Duncan is providing quality services to her constituents.

Federal Political Parties in Canada

Canada, a country with cultural diversification, has various political opinions that stretch within the nation. Political affiliations in Canada range from the affluent neighborhoods of West Vancouver to the small fishing towns situated on the east coast of Newfoundland. To represent these political views, Canada has four major political parties to choose from: Conservative party, Green Party, Liberal Party, and New Democratic Party. These parties play a significant role in the Canadian government and democracy as they link society with the State.

A total of four political parties have been registered with elections Canada ahead of October federal polls. These parties are expected to take part in the coming election. At the federal level, Canadian political parties are often loosely linked to the parties at the provincial level despite bearing similar policy positions and names. This is contrary to the political party systems of many countries. However, the New Democratic Party is the exception to this system since it is institutionally integrated with most of its provincial counterparts, including a common membership.

Summary of the Major Political Parties

Conservative Party of Canada

The Conservative Party of Canada was established in 2003 by the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance. This unification rejuvenated Canada's political movement that has focused on building a stronger, safer, and better country for more than 150 years (Conservative.ca, 2019). The party sits at the center-right to the right-wing of the political spectrum of Canada. Currently, it is headed by Andrew Scheer, who is also the leader of the official opposition. It supports conservative social and economic policies, the use of the country's armed forces in international peacekeeping, and a strong federal system of government (Conservative.ca, 2019).

Andrew Scheer Biography

Andrew Scheer was born on 20th May 1979. He attended high school at Immaculate: - an Ottawa Catholic school. As a teenager, he worked as a waiter at a local diner and the concession standards at Ottawa sporting events. His first encounter with politics was sparked by a high school event when he searched for a Reform Party's website as part of online class coding. Due to his interest, he contacted the party and participated in the 1999 alternative convention that led to the formation of the Canadian Alliance. In 2004, he was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Regina-Qu'Appelle.

Scheer's conservative principles and hard work earned him loyalty from his constituents, leading to his subsequent re-elections in 2006, 2008, 2011, and 2015. He was elected speaker of the House of Commons after the 2011 elections. In 2015, he served as the house leader of the opposition before becoming the opposition party leader in 2017. He studied Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, political science, and history at the University of Ottawa and graduated in 2008. Scheer has always maintained his positive conservative vision, and he has focused on helping hardworking families with controlled government expenditure, lower taxes, and an economic plan that fosters success and opportunity for all. He is indeed a true leader with a big heart. His character defines his leadership qualities.

Liberal Party of Canada

Liberal Party is Canada's oldest and longest-serving political party. Since its formation in 1867, the party has dominated federal politics in the history of Canada, holding power for about 69 years in the 20th century. Due to the party's ruling for an extended period, it is sometimes known as a ''natural governing party. The party adopts the principle of liberalism, bringing together pragmatic social policy agitators and advocates of free enterprise. It sits at the center to center-left of the political spectrum of Canada. Often, the party is described as a 'big tent' due to its ability to gain support from a wide array of voters. The Party's strongholds include Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic region. In the 2015 federal election, the liberal party produced the best result since 2000. It managed to gain 39.5% of the popular votes and 184 seats, winning a majority of seats in the House of Commons, with the party leader, Justin Trudeau, as the Prime Minister.

Justin Trudeau Biography

Justin Trudeau is the son of Pierre Trudeau, the late Prime Minister of Canada. He was born on December 25, 1971, in Ottawa and attended College Jean-de-Brebeuf. Trudeau graduated in 1994 and 1998 from McGill University and the University of Colombia, respectively. He owns a Bachelor of Arts degree and a bachelor of education degree from these universities. He worked as a teacher in Vancouver after graduating. In the 2008 federal election, Trudeau was elected as a representative of the riding of Papineau in the House of Commons. He was appointed the Liberal Party critic for youth and multiculturalism in 2009. In 2011, he became the critic for secondary and sport. In the 2015 federal election, he was elected the Prime Minister, a position he still holds. He is the second

Green Party of Canada

The Green Party was founded in 1983 and is currently operating under the leadership of Elizabeth May. Since its formation, the party has supported policies that aim to strengthen participatory democracy, social justice, respect for diversity, non-violence, sustainability, and ecological wisdom. Today, the Green Party continues to strive to exemplify the importance of its values by giving them concrete expressions and practices. Its mission is to rescue grassroots democracy from the political spin that makes voters recoil. The party's goal is to ensure the planet, and the communities survive and thrive.

The Party has steadily increased its support over the past ten years. Elizabeth May became the leader of the Green Party in 2006. In the 2011 general election, she was elected as the Party's first Member of Parliament, representing the ridding of Saanich- Gulf Islands. On 6th May 2019, the party produced Paul Manly, who became the second MP to be elected under the Green Party after winning a by-election in Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

Elizabeth May Bibliography

Elizabeth May was born on 9th June 1954 in Hartford, Connecticut. She enrolled shortly at St. Francis Xavier University in 1974 but did not graduate. She later attended Dalhousie Law School as a mature student and graduated in 1983. May then worked as an associate at a small law firm in Halifax after her graduation. She also studied Theology at St. Paul University. She first gained publicity in the mid-1970 through her leadership as a volunteer in the grassroots movement.

In 1986, she became a senior advisor to the government. May became the founding executive director of Sierra Club of Canada. In 2011, she was elected to the House of Commons, becoming the first member of the Green Party to be elected to the House. Following her background, it appears that May is an environmentalist, a lawyer, and an activist. As such, she has what it takes to advocate for social justice, human rights, environmental protection, and economic growth.

New Democratic Party

The New Democratic Party (NDP) was formed in 1961 when the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) merged with Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). On the political spectrum of Canada, NDP sits to the left of the Liberal Party. It is currently headed by Jagmeet Singh, who assumed the party's leadership role in 2017. The mission of the Party is to build a prosperous and sustainable nation where no one is left behind. NDP is known for fighting for ordinary citizens and delivering results. Over the past five decades, NGP has pushed for the introduction of universal medical care, public pensions, and the increase of social safety net. NDP has nev...