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 and policy positions.[1] One exception is the New Democratic Party, which is organizationally integrated with most of its provincial counterparts including a shared membership.

Current parties

Represented parties
Name Founded Ideology Leader MPs Most MPs Political position
Numerically Proportionally
  Liberal Party of Canada
Parti libéral du Canada		 1867 Liberalism, social liberalism Justin Trudeau
154 / 338
184 / 338
(2015)
179 / 245
(1940)		 Centre to centre-left
  Conservative Party of Canada 
Parti conservateur du Canada		 2003 Conservatism, economic liberalism Erin O'Toole
120 / 338
166 / 308
(2011)		 Centre-right to right-wing
  Bloc Québécois 1991 Quebec sovereignty, social democracy, regionalism Yves-François Blanchet
32 / 338
54 / 308
(1993, 2004)		 Centre-left
  New Democratic Party
Nouveau Parti démocratique		 1961 Social democracy Jagmeet Singh
24 / 338
103 / 308
(2011)		 Centre-left to left-wing
  Green Party of Canada
Parti vert du Canada		 1983 Green politics Annamie Paul
3 / 338
3 / 338
(2019)

Minor parties

The following political parties are registered with Elections Canada and eligible to run candidates in future federal elections, but are not currently represented in the House of Commons.[2]

Name Founded Ideology Leader Most MPs (numerically) Most MPs (proportionally) Political position
  Animal Protection Party of Canada 2005 Animal rights, environmentalism Liz White 0 0 Single issue
  Canada's Fourth Front 2019 Partap Dua 0 0
  Canadian Nationalist Party 2017 White nationalism Travis Patron 0 0 Far-right
  Christian Heritage Party of Canada
Parti de l'Héritage Chrétien du Canada		 1986 Social conservatism, Christian right Rodney L. Taylor 0 0 Right-wing
  Communist Party of Canada
Parti communiste du Canada		 1921 Communism, Marxism–Leninism Liz Rowley 3 (1945)[3] 1% (1945) Far-left
  Free Party Canada
Parti Libre Canada		 2019 Michel Leclerc[4] 0 0
  Libertarian Party of Canada
Parti Libertarien du Canada		 1973 Libertarianism Tim Moen 0 0
  Marijuana Party
Parti Marijuana		 2000 Cannabis law reforms Blair Longley 0 0 Single issue
  Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada
Parti Marxiste–Léniniste du Canada		 1970 Communism, Marxism–Leninism, anti-revisionism Anna Di Carlo 0 0 Far-left
  National Citizens Alliance
Alliance Nationale des Citoyens		 2014 Canadian nationalism, anti-globalization, right-wing populism Stephen J. Garvey 0 0 Far-right
  Parti pour l'Indépendance du Québec 2019 Quebec nationalism, Quebec sovereigntism Michel Blondin 0 0
  People's Party of Canada
Parti populaire du Canada		 2018 Conservatism, right-wing populism, classical liberalism, libertarianism Maxime Bernier 1 (2018) <1% (2018) Right-wing to far-right
  Rhinoceros Party (II)
Parti Rhinocéros		 2006 Satirical party Sébastien Corriveau 0 0
  Stop Climate Change Party 2019 E. Ken Ranney 0 0 Single issue
  Veterans Coalition Party of Canada 2019 Randy David Joy 0 0 Single issue

Eligible parties

Eligible parties have applied to Elections Canada and met all of the legal requirements to be registered, other than running a candidate in a general election or by-election.[5] Such parties are eligible to run candidates in federal elections but will not be considered "registered" by Elections Canada until they have contested an election.[5][6] As of November 2020, the following are eligible parties:[2]

Name Founded Ideology Leader Political position
Maverick Party 2020 Western separatism, conservatism, right-wing populism Jay Hill (interim) Right-wing
Parti Patriote
Patriot Party		 2019 Quebec nationalism, right-wing populism, Quebec sovereignty Donald Proulx Right-wing

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 registered political parties, are not registered with Elections Canada, and do not run candidates in Canadian federal elections. Essentially, these parliamentary groups are equivalent to political parties in the legislative context, but do not exist in an electoral capacity.

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 three non-party parliamentary groups: the Independent Senators Group (ISG), the Canadian Senators Group (CSG), and the Progressive Senate Group (PSG). These three groups do not share a formal ideology, platform, or membership in any one political party; the caucuses primarily serve to provide organizational support and better leverage parliamentary resources. Conservative senators remain formally affiliated with the Conservative Party of Canada.[7][8]

Name Founded Ideology Facilitator/Leader Senators
  Independent Senators Group
Groupe des sénateurs indépendants		 2016 Non-partisan technical group Yuen Pau Woo
44 / 105
  Conservative Party of Canada 
Parti conservateur du Canada		 2003 Conservatism, economic liberalism Erin O'Toole
20 / 105
  Canadian Senators Group
Groupe des sénateurs Canadiens		 2019 Non-partisan technical group Scott Tannas
interim
13 / 105
  Progressive Senate Group
Groupe progressiste du sénat		 2019 Non-partisan technical group Jane Cordy
11 / 105

Historical parties

These are political parties which were once registered with Elections Canada, but have become de-registered or ceased to exist due to dissolution,[2] or which ceased to exist before Elections Canada was formed.

Name Founded Dissolved Ideology Most MPs (numerically) Most MPs (proportionally)
  Abolitionist Party of Canada 19931996 Social credit, monetary reform, social liberalism 0 0
  Anti-Confederation Party 18671867 Opposition to Confederation (membership in Canada), Nova Scotia separatism 18 (1867) 10% (1867)
  Bloc populaire 19431949 Anti-conscription, Canadian nationalism, isolationism, French Canadian rights 4 (1943) 2% (1943)
  Canada Party (I) 19931996 0 0
  Canadian Action Party
Parti action canadienne		 19972017[9] Canadian nationalism, anti-globalization 0 0
  Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance
Alliance réformiste-conservatrice canadienne		 20002003 Conservatism, right-wing populism, social conservatism[10][11][12] 66 (2001) 22% (2001)
  Co-operative Commonwealth Federation
Parti social démocratique du Canada		 19321961 Social democracy, democratic socialism, agrarianism[13] 13% (1948)
  Confederation of Regions Party of Canada 19841988 Regionalism, conserativism 0 0
  Conservative Party of Canada (I) and
Progressive Conservative of Canada		 1854
1942		2003 Canadian conservatism, British loyalism, Canadian nationalism (particularly under John Diefenbaker), Red Toryism, economic liberalism (under Brian Mulroney), moderation, occasional populism 211 (1984) 78% (1958)
  Democratic 19451945 0 0
  Equal Rights 18901891 0 0
  First Peoples National Party of Canada 20052013[9] Aboriginal rights advocacy 0 0
  Labour Party of Canada 19261968 Trade unionism, socialism 2% (1926)
  Liberal-Progressive 19251955 Coalition between the Liberal Party and Progressive Party 3% (1926)
  Liberal Protectionist 19251930 Anti-free trade, protectionism 0 0
  McCarthyite 18961898 Anti-Catholic, anti-French, British imperialism 1 <1% (1896)
  National Party of Canada (II) 19911994 Canadian nationalism, protectionism, progressivism 0 0
  Nationalist 18731910 Socialism, nationalization of industries 1 1% (1887)
  Nationalist 19031963 Various parties and candidates 1% (1887)
  Nationalist Conservative 18781911 1 <1% (1891)
  Natural Law Party of Canada
Parti de la loi naturelle du Canada		 19922004[9] New age 0 0
  Newfoundland and Labrador First Party 20072011[9] Newfoundland and Labrador advocacy 0 0
  Non-Partisan League 19171917 Agrarianism 0 0
  Parti de la Démocratisation Économique 19681968 0 0
  Parti Nationaliste du Quebec 19831987 Quebec independence 0 0
  Party for the Commonwealth of Canada 19841993 LaRouchite 0 0
  Patrons of Industry 18901900 Pro-labour 2 (1896) 1% (1896)
  People's Political Power Party of Canada
Pouvoir Politique du Peuple du Canada		 20062011[9] Feminist, centrist, populist 0 0
  Pirate Party of Canada
Parti Pirate du Canada		 20102017 Pirate politics 0 0
  Progressive Canadian Party
Parti Progressiste Canadien		 20042019 Red Toryism 0 0
  Progressive Party of Canada
Parti progressiste du Canada		 19211948 Agrarian, free trade, progressivism 26% (1921)
  Progressive-Conservative 19251935 1 (1930) <1% (1930)
  Protestant Protective Association 1896???? Anti-Catholic 0 0
  Radical chrétien 19581967 0 0
  Ralliement créditiste 19631971 Split from the Social Credit Party; see Social Credit Party of Canada split, 1963. 5% (1968)
  Reconstruction Party of Canada 19351938 Keynesianism, national conservatism, isolationism 1 (1935) <1% (1935)
  Reform Party of Canada
Parti réformiste du Canada		 19872000 Fiscal conservatism, regionalism, social conservatism, democratic reform 20% (1997)
  Republican Party
Parti republicain		 19641971 0 0
  Rhinoceros Party (I)
Parti Rhinocéros		 19681993 Satirical 0 0
  Social Credit Party of Canada
Parti Crédit social du Canada		 19351993 Canadian social credit, Canadian conservatism, right-wing populism, social conservatism 11% (1962)
  Socialist Labour Party 19451968 Socialism 0 0
  Socialist Party of Canada (I) 19041925 Socialism 0 0
  Socialist Party of Canada (II) 19311961 0 0
  Strength in Democracy
Forces et Démocratie		 20142016[9] Social democracy, regionalism 2 (2015) 1% (2015)
  Union Populaire 19791981 Quebecois independence (precursor of Bloc Québécois) 0 0
  United Party of Canada (II)
Parti Uni du Canada		 20092016[9] Centrism 0 0
  United Party of Canada (III)
Parti Uni du Canada		 20182020 Centre-left 0 0
  United Reform 19391940 Left-wing populism, reformism 1 (1939) <1% (1939)
  Western Block Party 20052014[14] Western separatism, paleoconservatism, libertarian conservativism 0 0

Historical parliamentary groups
Name Founded Dissolved Ideology Most MPs (numerically) Most MPs (proportionally) Most senators
  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 (2002) 4% (2002) 0
  Ginger Group 19241932 progressivism, socialism 15 (1926) 6% (1926) 0
  Liberal (Unionist) 19171921 Members of the Liberal Party who supported Robert Borden's coalition government. 11 (1917) 5% (1917) 4 (1919)
  Parti canadien 1942???? anti-conscription 1 (1942) <1% (1942) 0
  Québec debout 20182018 Formed when several MPs left the Bloc Québécois due to the leadership of Martine Ouellet. The group was dissolved after Ouellet lost a leadership review vote and resigned. 7 (2018) 2% (2018) 0
  Senate Liberal Caucus
Caucus libéral du Sénat		 2014 2019 Members of the Liberal Party who formed their own caucus after Justin Trudeau removed all senators from the Liberal Party's parliamentary caucus. 0 0 32 (2014)

Historical designations used by single candidates
  • Nationalist Liberal (Fleming Blanchard McCurdy), 1920 — McCurdy won a by-election under the Nationalist Liberal designation, but sat with the National Liberal and Conservative Party caucus
  • Protectionist (Joseph-Édouard Moranville), 1926
  • Franc Lib (I) (Alfred Edward Watts), 1930
  • Prohibition Party (Edwin Clarke Appleby), 1930
  • Parti national social chrétien (Robert Rae Manville), 1934–1940
  • Anti-Communist (I) (Jean Tissot), 1935
  • Verdun (Hervé Ferland), 1935
  • Veterans Party (Alloys Reginald Sprenger), 1935
  • Technocrat (Joseph McCrae Newman), 1935
  • Anti-Conscriptionist (Louis-Gérard Gosselin), 1940
  • Social Credit-National Unity (Harry Watson Arnold), 1940
  • National-Unity (Robert Rae Manville), 1940
  • Trades Union (Nigel Morgan), 1945
  • Autonomist candidate (Paul Massé), 1947
  • Christian Liberal (Howard A. Prentice), 1953
  • Anti-Communist (II) (Patrick Walsh), 1953
  • Canadian Democrat (Gerry Goeujon), 1957
  • National Credit Control (John Bernard Ball), 1957
  • Capital familial (Henri-Georges Grenier), 1957–1962
  • Liberal Conservative Coalition (George Rolland), 1957
  • Parti ouvrier canadien (Jean-Jacques Rouleau), 1958
  • League for Socialist Action, 1961–1977
  • Co-operative Builders of Canada (Edgar-Bernard Charron), 1962
  • All Canadian Party (John Darby Naismith), 1962–1962
  • Parti humain familial (Henri-Georges Grenier), 1964
  • Droit vital personnel (Henri-Georges Grenier), 1965
  • Progressive Workers Movement (Jerry Le Bourdais), 1965
  • Esprit Social (Henri-Georges Grenier), 1967–1971
  • Franc Lib (II) (Jean-Roger Marcotte), 1968
  • National Socialist (Martin K. Weiche), 1968
  • New Canada Party (Fred Reiner), 1968
  • Nationalist Party of Canada (Bob Smith), founded 1977
  • Christian Democrat Party of Canada (Sydney Thompson), 1981
  • Work Less Party (Betty Krawczyk), 2007–2010
  • Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency (formerly Online Party) (Michael Nicula), 2012–2016[15]
  • The Bridge Party of Canada (David Berlin), 2015–2017[9]
  • Seniors Party of Canada (Margaret Leigh Fairbairn), 2014–2016[9]
  • Canada Party (II) (Jim Pankiw) 2015–2016[9]

Unofficial designations and parties who never ran candidates

The following parties do not appear on the federal election archive.[16] 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.

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. Others used the name Union des électeurs, although this was never formally registered.

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

See also

Notes

    References
    1. Christian, William; Jansen, Harold (December 11, 2015). "Party System". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved November 7, 2018. Although there are often provincial parties with similar names or aims as national political parties, Canadian parties are not generally well-integrated... Despite the general lack of formal ties, however, there is often significant overlap between supporters of provincial and national parties of the same name.
    2. Elections Canada (April 7, 2020). "Registered Political Parties and Parties Eligible for Registration". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
    3. Includes members using temporary party names Unity and Labor-Progressive Party.
    4. "La structure du parti" (in French). Parti Libre Canada. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
    5. Elections Canada (March 10, 2020). "Registration of Federal Political Parties". Elections Canada. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
    6. MacVicar, Adam (March 10, 2020). "Wexit political party can now run candidates in Canadian federal elections". Global News. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
    7. Jesse Snyder; Brian Platt (November 4, 2019). "New Senate bloc looking to protect 'regional interests' could hamper Trudeau's efforts to pass legislation". National Post. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    8. Tasker, John Paul (November 14, 2019). "There's another new faction in the Senate: the Progressive Senate Group". CBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
    9. Canada, Elections. "Registered Political Parties and Parties Eligible for Registration". www.elections.ca.
    10. Howard A. Leeson (2001). Saskatchewan Politics: Into the Twenty-first Century. University of Regina Press. p. 161. ISBN 978-0-88977-131-4.
    11. Janet Miron (2009). A History of Human Rights in Canada: Essential Issues. Canadian Scholars’ Press. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-55130-356-7.
    12. Carol Gould; Pasquale Paquino (January 1, 2001). Cultural Identity and the Nation-state. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8476-9677-2.
    13. 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 August 20, 2012.
    14. "Deregistration of Western Block Party". Elections Canada. January 28, 2014. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
    15. "Deregistration of Western Block Party". Elections Canada.
    16. "Elections and Candidates". lop.parl.ca.
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