Some Canadians have become ‘political orphans’ as parties have become ‘too extreme’: survey

More than one-third of Canadians believe the country’s two biggest political parties, the federal Liberals and Conservatives, have become more extreme and have moved away from the middle when it comes to their political beliefs, according to a new survey.

“As federal political parties take turns labelling the other as extremists, there is widespread belief that political options are abandoning the middle,” non-profit Angus Reid Institute wrote in a press release Thursday.

Overall, about one-third (36 per cent) of Canadians surveyed describe themselves as “political orphans” who find that all parties are “too extreme,” the survey found. This finding includes half (47 per cent) of respondents who consider themselves a part of the political middle.

“Those who put themselves on the left and right edges on the spectrum are least likely to believe the parties are too extreme,” Angus Reid Institute wrote.

In addition, many Canadians believe the federal Liberals and Conservatives have moved away from the middle in terms of political beliefs, according to the survey.

Nearly half of respondents (48 per cent) say the Conservative Party of Canada has shifted either “a bit” (19 per cent) or “much more” (29 per cent) to the right.

“The belief that the Conservatives have moved more right in recent years is strongest among self-described left-wingers,” Angus Reid Institute wrote in its commentary for the survey.

On the flip side, 43 per cent of respondents say the Liberal Party of Canada has moved “a bit” (14 per cent), or “a lot more” (29 per cent) to the left. Those who describe themselves as very left-wing believe the party has moved to the right in recent years (41 per cent), while nearly as many (38 per cent) say the party has stayed the same politically.

“The belief the Liberals have moved more left becomes near unanimous the further right-ward the respondent is along the political spectrum,” Angus Reid Institute wrote.

About half in Quebec (51 per cent) say the Bloc Québécois has stayed the same on the political spectrum – neither moving left nor right — in recent years. Among those who believe the party has shifted, more say it moved to the left (15 per cent) than right (10 per cent).

As well, Canadians surveyed are as likely to believe the NDP has stayed put (36 per cent) as moved farther to the left (34 per cent).

It’s also those on the right who are most likely to believe the NDP has shifted to the left, Angus Reid Institute wrote. “Those on the left are more likely to believe the party has stayed in the same place.”

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