The chances of a true centrist party in Canada are slim

Speaking of "yet another", there was yet another article in the paper bemoaning the divisiveness of current Canadian politics. In a time where the Conservatives have moved too far right and embraced populism, the Liberals are too divisive, too lefty, and too prone to virtue-signalling, and the NDP too anti-business and unrealistic (or so we are told), it raises the old jokey adage "Where is the Purple Party?", the party to synthesize the best of right and left, to find a place in the middle where most Canadians secretly long to be.

It's a bit of a disingenuous plea. The Liberals historically have filled that niche, swinging chameleon-like to the left and right as needed to appeal to the middle class and the middle-of-the-road. The Liberals always considered themselves the "natural governing party" of Canada, and indeed they have been very successful, forming the government for well over 70% of the last century, and over 60% since the year 2000. But with that success came a certain cockiness and sense of entitlement that many Canadians find distasteful.

At the moment, the Liberals (especially with their "confidence-and-supply" deal with the NDP), are drifting to the left - not that bad a thing in my view - in order to compensate for the Conservatives' distinct rightward list. But the chances of a bona fide centrist party arising and gaining the attention of the electorate? Slim to none, I would say. 

Meanwhile, get used to the nastiness and ad hominem attacks that characterizes modern Canadian politics. We have a long way to go before we sink to the levels of modern-day US politics, but they (particularly the Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre) are learning some of the underhand tricks that makes politics south of the border so fractured and fractious.