Clio’s Perspective on Election 2015: Introduction

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Clio’s Perspective on Election 2015: Introduction

This week we are beginning a series at Clio’s Current to coincide with the 2015 Canadian election. For the next ten weeks, we will be writing about various aspects of Canadian political history. For our non-Canadian readers, we hope that you enjoy this extended foray and maybe learn a bit about Canada’s fascinating political history (well, we think it is!). If you want a primer on recent events leading up to the 2015 election, you should check out Paul Wells’ excellent overview in Maclean’s before plunging into the past.

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The Long History of Progressive Conservatives in Canada

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These are tough days for Canadian Conservatives. Their chosen government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper is losing support from scandals over the Senate and now over the heavily disputed Fair Elections Act. Since its 2003 merger with the Canadian Reform Party (then called the Canadian Alliance), the party has succeeded in forming a minority and majority government much to the chagrin of nearly 2/3rds of the Canadian electorate that voted for other parties. Many disparage the Conservative Party as a destructive right-wing movement that impedes Canada in the 21st century. Criticism of the neo-liberal policies of the Conservatives are usually based in ideological disagreements, which sometimes results in broad generalizations about all Canadian conservatives. It's worthwhile to remember the roots and success of the old Progressive Conservatives – Canadians conservatives should not be defined by one leader or one party in 2014.

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Regional Forces at Play: The 1910 Drummond-Arthabaska By-Election

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Before and after Monday's by-election, Canadian pundits spent pages upon pages debating whether it would simply maintain the status quo or if it was an important sign of things to come for Prime Minister Stephen Harper's majority government. The results were boringly predictable, with the Conservatives winning the two seats they were predicted to win and the Liberals winning the other two. The large number of votes that the Liberals gained in Western provinces was matched by a competitive NDP in Toronto and Montreal, which, before Jack Layton, was the party that received a lot of votes only when Canadians were frustrated with the Liberals – not a contender for 24 Sussex Drive. The answer to the question “Do these results matter?” seems to sway between partisan beliefs. If you're Conservative, they do not. If you're Liberal or NDP, they do. In honour of all this partisan jockeying, let's take a look at one of Canada's most famous by-elections: the Drummond-Arthabaska byelection of 1910.

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Robert Borden and Canadian National Government

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Last week we discussed how Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Pierre Trudeau redefined Canada's history for their own purposes.  Their attempts to reshape Canadians' national identity saw varying levels of success – Trudeau tried to do away with Canadian nationalism and failed while Harper has thus far tried to craft a modern Conservative vision of it with lacklustre results.  Admittedly, it has been successful enough to ensure electoral success since 2006, but many Canadians still disagree with the national government expressed through the policy of our current Conservative government.  Today’s post looks at another attempt at national government in Canadian history and its consequences for Canadian politics: Robert Borden's Union Government.

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