List of federal political parties in Canada facts for kids

In Canada, political parties at the federal (country-wide) level are often quite separate from parties at the provincial (local) level. Even if they have similar names and ideas, they usually work on their own. One special case is the New Democratic Party, which is closely linked with its provincial groups.

What are Canada's Main Political Parties?

Parties with Seats in Parliament

These parties have members in the House of Commons, which is where Canada's main laws are made. Members were chosen in the 2021 Canadian federal election.

Other Registered Parties in Canada

These political parties are officially registered with Elections Canada. This means they can have candidates run in federal elections, even if they don't currently have members in the House of Commons.

What are Non-Party Parliamentary Groups?

Sometimes, groups of politicians in the House of Commons or Senate are not part of a registered political party. These are called "parliamentary groups" or "caucuses." They don't register with Elections Canada or run candidates in elections. They act like political parties inside the government, but not during elections.

In the House of Commons of Canada, these groups often form when members leave a party because of disagreements with the leader. For example, the Democratic Representative Caucus formed when some MPs left the Canadian Alliance party.

Groups in the Senate

The Senate of Canada is Canada's upper chamber, and its members are not elected. It has three main non-party groups: the Independent Senators Group (ISG), the Canadian Senators Group (CSG), and the Progressive Senate Group (PSG). These groups don't share a single political idea or party. Instead, they help senators work together and use resources better. Conservative senators are still officially part of the Conservative Party of Canada.

What Were Canada's Past Political Parties?

Historical Parties with Seats in Parliament

These parties used to have members in the House of Commons. Some stopped existing before Elections Canada was formed, while others were once registered but later closed down.

How Party Names Have Changed Over Time

Political parties in Canada have sometimes changed their names. Here are some examples:

• Communist Party: The Communist Party of Canada has used several names. It started in 1921. For a while, it was called the Workers' Party of Canada. When it was banned in 1940, it operated as the Labor-Progressive Party from 1943 to 1959. Then it went back to being the Communist Party of Canada. Another group, the Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada, uses a similar name but Elections Canada doesn't allow it to be officially registered that way.

• Labour Party: Candidates linked to the Labour Party used many different names, like Conservative-Labour, Farmer Labour, and Liberal-Labour.

• Liberal Party: During World War I, the Liberal Party of Canada split. Some members supported the government (called Liberal–Unionist), while others opposed it (called Laurier Liberals).

• New Democratic Party: Before becoming the New Democratic Party in 1961, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation used the name New Party for a few years.

• Conservative Party: The first Conservative Party had many names, including Liberal-Conservative Party and Progressive Conservative Party. The current Conservative Party of Canada was formed in 2003 when two parties, the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party, joined together.

• Rhinoceros Party: The original Rhinoceros Party stopped in 1993. When it started again in 2006, it was called "neorhino.ca" before changing back to Rhinoceros Party in 2010.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Partidos federales de Canadá para niños

• Federal political financing in Canada
• List of political parties in Canada