Political parties must perform a multitude of pressing tasks in the political system, which often results in the exclusion of certain social interests. The Canadian electorate, therefore, has become disillusioned with political parties and social movements have emerged as key actors in the promotion of political change and alternative representation. The rise of social movements, beginning in the 1960?s, has forced political parties to address their issues and demands. The traditional Liberal and Conservative two party political system in Canada has ultimately failed to deal with the concerns of minority groups and their social issues. As a result, the creation of new political parties representing different social interests has emerged. However, the inability of political parties to broker to the diversity of the entire Canadian electorate has caused citizens to lose confidence in the political system and seek representation by groups other than political parties. This essay will address the aforementioned issues relating to the relationship between social movements and political party representation by defining the terms and presenting different perspectives regarding their roles in the political system. The rise of social mo
The creation of new parties has also transformed the political party system from a pan-Canadian system of representation to a regional one. This is best exemplified by the results of the 1993 and 1997 elections where it was evident that no party could declare that it was national, instead each party had a regional stronghold. For example, many Quebecois have opted for regional representation through the Bloc Quebecois while many Westerners chose the former Reform party to represent their interests. The results of the 1993 federal election have been referred to as a ?critical realignment?. This realignment occurs when blocs of voters supporting the major parties are reshuffled and the issues dominating political debates are radically altered.
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