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Diverse political factions have been the cause of dispute in every country, throughout every decade of history. Canada is no exception. From liberalism to socialism to conservatism, Canada has a long history of political dissension. Not that this dissension is necessarily a bad thing. After all, without different political parties, it would be virtually impossible for Parliament or the provincial legislatures to function. A workable governmental system must depend on the loyalty of one party's colleagues to stand behind them while the other party provides appropriate criticisms.

While most times, a Canadian citizen's choice of party affiliation stems from a commonality of ideals and principles, it can also be based on nothing but family tradition. Regardless, the existence of political parties in Canada gives Canadian citizens "a voice" in politics and allows them to feel that they can influence the way their country is run. Resting comfortably in the middle of the political spectrum, Liberalism's roots are firm in Canada's political history. Liberalism has generated supporters and adversaries from the time the second Prime Minister of Canada, Alexander Mackenzie, became a member of the Liberal Party all the way up until today, where Liberalism continues to dominate the House of Commons.

The Liberal Party of Canada was originally called the "Reform Party", with its far left members acquiring the nickname of "Clear Grit". Even after the party members became officially known as "Liberals", the term "grits" stuck with them.

Liberalism in Canada has historically been based on two issues: the promise to improve economic and social standards and the promise to heighten the respect and acknowledgement of Canadians. Most Liberals are also in favor of lower tariffs and improved relations with the United States.

The Great Depression of the Thirties was a highly disruptive period in Canadian history, politically, socially and economically. Liberalists, however, continued to defend the policies that had failed in the past. Many of its members began to demand that the government be in charge of finding work for Canada's unemployed, and they insisted that the wealth of the nation be divided equally to improve the quality of life of its citizens. This was the beginning of the rise of the Socialist movement in Canada, and it was also the beginning of a host of bitter disagreements as well as incessant public condemnation of political adversaries.

Although the first Socialist Party of Canada was actually founded in 1905, it did not gain any notable influence until the 1930's. Several members of the old party went on to form the current Socialist Party of Canada in 1931, proclaiming the following statement as their motto: “Our objective is to encourage the establishment of a system of society based upon the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the interest of society as a whole”.

What this means in regards to Socialist philosophy is that even though each region of Canada may have its own unique traditions and customs, each remains part of a larger system of society that is global in nature. The Socialist party of Canada believes that "Socialism is not a cooperative island in the middle of capitalism, but a global system of society that will replace capitalism. " They claim "If decisions were made based upon the needs of humanity then the food that is regularly destroyed by the truckload would instead feed the starving." Although all of their movements appear to be for the common good, Socialism is based in large part on Communism, which is a system that has failed miserably.

At the other end of the spectrum is Canada's Conservative Party, or as it is called today, the Progressive Conservative Party. The party was founded in 1854, however the current name was not assigned until 1942. The Progressive Conservative Party has traditionally advocated a close affiliation with Great Britain. Although Liberalism has dominated most of Canada's political history, Conservatism ruled the late 19th century under the leadership of John A. Macdonald. Macdonald was the first Prime Minister of Canada and was a viable force in Canadian politics.

Things changed in the 20th century, however, when due to lack of support from the French Canadians in Quebec, Conservatism was kept on the back burner. It wasn't until World War I that the party once again controlled the national government. The party also had a brief stay in power in the early 1930's and again in the mid-1980's, however those were the only periods in which Conservatism was a prevailing force in Canada.

Regardless of what the future of politics will be in Canada, political division is in no way a dead issue. President Bill Clinton has demonstrated his support for the unity of Canada. At the opening of the United States' new Ottawa embassy in October, 2000, Clinton voiced support for a "strong, united and democratic Canada." Then, in an address to a Canadian government-sponsored symposium on federalism held at Mont Tremblant, Quebec, the Clinton proclaimed that the Canadian federal state as is example that the rest of the world should follow: "For two centuries you have shown the world how people of different cultures can live together in peace, prosperity and mutual respect, in a country where human differences are democratically expressed, not forcefully repressed." Clinton's speech, which closed the International Conference on Federalism, has been interpreted as somewhat of an insult to Quebec's ruling provincial party, the Parti Québécois (PQ). Founded in 1968, the PQ once had a radical agenda focusing on the "national liberation of the Québécois" and having a "favorable prejudice" to the workers movement. But once the PQ achieved provincial status in 1976 and enforcing discriminatory language laws that increased the job prospects of the French-speaking middle class, the PQ moved sharply to the right of the political spectrum and into open conflict with the working class.

The Canadian political scene is constantly evolving. In recent years, decentralization has been on the rise, the federal government has abdicated many of its powers to the provinces, and the traditional three-party system has splintered off into various other factions. Each party is forced to examine its principles in relation to the call for redistribution of wealth, which remains at the heart of political dissension in Canada. Parliament continues to struggle in its ability to unite Canada under a common goal towards a governmental system that serves the needs of all of its people, while the traditional belabored issues continue to thrive. As a result, a large and growing number of Canadians are searching for a fresh alternative party with a bold, new political platform.