Canada’s newest aspiring federal party, orchestrated by the interim leader and New Brunswick Independent MLA Dominic Cardy, aims to serve as an alternative for those weary of mainstream political parties which have fallen prey to “rage farming.”
The announcement came as the group, previously known as Centre Ice Canadians, revealed its intentions to establish a freshparty under the moniker of Canadian Future. Cardy criticized the reigning Liberals for their outdated approach, stuck in a “nostalgia dream of the 1990s,” where they fail to deliver results and focus solely on presentation. Meanwhile, he also castigated the Conservatives, accusing them of adopting an overtly American-style political stance.
The concept of Canadian Future was born after extensive consultations on the desirability of creating a new party. The Centre Ice Conservatives, initially serving as a platform for moderate Tories that advocated change during the previous year’s Conservative leadership race, evolved into the new entity. These moderate lawmakers called for more attention towards issues like affordability, despite the pandemic taking center stage in political discourse.
Through time, this group expanded its vision, switching “Conservatives” in their name to “Canadians,” to attract similarly inclined Liberals aiming for a centrist agenda in Canadian politics. The Canadian Conservative leadership was eventually claimed by Poilievre, who appealed to supporters of stringent pandemic measures and the Freedom Convoy protesters in Ottawa.
The unveiling of the new party transpired quietly, with its newly formed Twitter account gaining just 168 followers by Wednesday, but the party’s focus is not on social media recognition. Cardy expressed their intent to break free from the traditional politics that rely heavily on party leaders competing for social media engagement.
The emerging party aims to offer policy solutions to tackle challenges affecting Canadians, ranging from housing affordability to a rising authoritarian China. By doing this, they hope to avoid the pitfalls experienced by other parties such as Max Bernier’s People’s Party that had an indisputable influence on the Conservative party.
The new party’s path remains testing and obscure. Yet, Cardy believes that treading a middle ground may yield potential rewards. He anticipates a shift towards evidence-based policies, distancing from the current “rage-farming” and “click-baiting” trends that seem to dominate federal politics. It remains to be seen as to how successful this incipient party will be in winning voters in the upcoming elections.
