Combined Liberal and Conservative support at lowest level in 100 years

Ever since Confederation, the governing party of Canada has alternated between some form of Conservative and Liberal parties. The attached graph shows what happens if you add together the popular vote for these two parties for the last hundred years (and include the most recent quarterly summary poll as well). You will see that the Lib+Con support is at its lowest level in 100 years and falling fast.

Lib+Con support took a permanent dip after the great depression, which saw the rise of the CCF (included with the NDP in this graph) and the Social Credit parties. The combined support then was fairly stable between 75% and 80% for 50 years .. until 2004. Since then there has been a rapid and consistent decline in the former cornerstones of Canadian politics.

Canadians have become disillusioned with traditional politics. They are looking for new hope. They are tired of the stories of the Gomery commission, Shreiber, and election financing. They are on to the shell game of one party blaming the other for the problems of the nation. Canadians want honest leadership, and demand that politicians listen. They want action on climate change, action on poverty and other social issues. They want sound fiscal management, not another cent off the price of their coffee.

The hope for Canada lies in the very last point of the graph, which depicts the polling numbers for the last quarter of 2007. The growth in Green support is one of the steepest, most rapid climbs in the last 100 years. We have an important responsibility to deliver the new kind of governance which the Green Party can bring about. The kind of government that Canadians deserve.