Canada: Liberal Political Power Fading

It appears the Liberal brand has become increasingly unpopular in Canada. In Europe and the United States many left of centre political movements have become under pressure to stay relevant. The most recent economic downturn saw many voters turn away from Utopian ideologues to nationalistic parties pushing restraint of big government and spending.

Are Liberals out of touch or step with the reality or middle class families and their issues?

An online petition calling for Quebec Premier Jean Charest's resignation has collected more than 50,000 signatures within 24 hours of being posted on the national assembly's website.

Three out of four Ontarians believe it’s “time for a change” at Queen’s Park because of the unpopular 13 per cent harmonized sales tax and lingering economic fears, a new poll suggests.

Gordon Campbell has the highest disapproval rating of any premier in Canada, a new survey shows.

After four years of Liberal rule, the status quo was not the chosen option for New Brunswick voters who made Shawn Graham the province's first one-term premier yesterday.

Guilt by association: At one point during the campaign, Liberal MPs and MPPs from Toronto gathered around Smitherman, and some of them even made robo-calls urging voters to support him. What a great way to remind voters of how little Liberal MPs from Toronto have done for the city. The Toronto Star wrote many editorials castigating these same people at a time when every federal seat in Toronto was held by a Liberal and they all sat on the government benches in the House of Commons. Next time, be your own man.- Four reasons why George Smitherman lost the election.

 

The Liberal Party is falling apart, and will not recover. Like all liberal parties in Europe, it will become a weakling at the mercy of ephemeral coalitions. By refusing the historic coalition that would have placed it at the helm of the left, it will be punished by history.-Janine Krieber Professor at Royal Military College of Canada

Are Liberals and the leadership out of touch or step with the reality or middle class families and their issues as the polls and ballots suggest? Will Janine Krieber prophetic face book post in January 2010 become the reality on the ground in 2011?

Related articles

• Online petition calls on Quebec premier to resign (canada.com)
• Gordon Campbell Lame Duck (pragmatictory.blogspot.com)
• Charest riding low, but high enough to maintain security in fragmented Quebec (canada.com)
• Shawn Graham resigns from N.B. Liberal leadership (ctv.ca)
• Dalton McGuinty - Your time is almost up! (I hope) (bluelikeyou.com)