Editing Political realignment (section)

===Federal===
According to recent scholarship, there have been four [[party systems]] in Canada at the federal level since Confederation, each with its own distinctive pattern of social support, [[patronage]] relationships, leadership styles, and electoral strategies.<ref>Alain-G. Gagnon, and A. Brain Tanguay, ''Canadian Parties in Transition'' (3rd ed. 2007)</ref> Steve Patten identifies four party systems in Canada's political history<ref>Steve Patten,  "The Evolution of the Canadian Party System". in Gagnon, and Tanguay, eds. ''Canadian Parties in Transition'' pp. 57–58</ref>
* The first party system emerged from pre-Confederation colonial politics, had its "heyday" from 1896 to 1911 and lasted until the [[Conscription Crisis of 1917]], and was characterized by local patronage administered by the two largest parties, the [[Liberals (Canada)|Liberals]] and the [[Conservative Party of Canada (historical)|Conservatives]].
* The second system emerged following the First World War, and had its heyday from 1935 to 1957, was characterized by regionalism and saw the emergence of several protest parties, such as the [[Progressives (Canada)|Progressives]], the [[Social Credit Party (Canada)|Social Credit Party]], and the [[Co-operative Commonwealth Federation]].
* The third system emerged in 1963 and had its heyday from 1968 to 1983 and began to unravel thereafter. The two largest parties were challenged by a strong third party, the [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]]. Campaigns during this era became more national in scope due to [[electronic media]], and involved a greater focus on leadership. The dominant policy of the era was [[Keynesian]] economics.
* The fourth party system has involved the rise of the [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]], the [[Bloc Québécois]], and the merger of the [[Canadian Alliance]] with the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservatives]]. It saw most parties move to one-member-one-vote leadership contests, and a major reform to campaign finance laws in 2004. The fourth party system has been characterized by market-oriented policies that abandoned [[Keynesian]] policies, but maintained the welfare state.

Clarkson (2005) shows how the Liberal Party has dominated all the party systems, using different approaches. It began with a "clientelistic approach" under [[Wilfrid Laurier|Laurier]], which evolved into a "brokerage" system of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s under [[William Lyon Mackenzie King|Mackenzie King]]. The 1950s saw the emergence of a "pan-Canadian system", which lasted until the 1990s. The 1993 election — categorized by Clarkson as an electoral "earthquake" which "fragmented" the party system, saw the emergence of regional politics within a four party-system, whereby various groups championed regional issues and concerns. Clarkson concludes that the inherent bias built into the first-past-the-post system, has chiefly benefited the Liberals.<ref>Stephen Clarkson, ''The Big Red Machine: How the Liberal Party Dominates Canadian Politics'' (2005)</ref>

* [[1896 Canadian federal election|1896 election]]
** 1896 saw a [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] victory under Sir [[Wilfrid Laurier]]. From the [[1867 Canadian federal election|1867 election]] until 1896, the [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]] of [[John A. Macdonald]] had governed Canada, excepting a single term from 1873 to 1878. The Liberals had struggled to retake office, under Laurier and his predecessor, [[Edward Blake]]. 1896 was the first election held after the death of Macdonald in 1891, and the Conservatives had been in complete disarray in the ensuing years, with no fewer than four leaders. The Liberals would remain in office until [[1911 Canadian federal election|1911]]. Beyond that, political scientists often consider this election that made the Liberal Party the dominant force in Canadian politics, holding office for more than two thirds of the time between 1896 and 2006.<ref>Ray Argyle, ''Turning Points: The Campaigns That Changed Canada - 2011 and Before'' (2011)  [https://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/B005233WJG/ excerpt and text search] ch 4</ref>
* [[1993 Canadian federal election|1993 election]]
** 1993 saw not only the sweeping success of the Liberals under [[Jean Chrétien]], but also the collapse of the [[Progressive Conservative Party of Canada|Progressive Conservatives]] as their support base switched to regional parties in Quebec and the western provinces, resulting in a five party political system with the Liberals as the dominant party.<ref name="fullcomment.nationalpost.com">{{cite web |url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/06/scott-stinson-liberals-begin-process-of-redefinition/ |title=Scott Stinson: Redefining the Liberals not a quick process &#124; Full Comment &#124; National Post |publisher=Fullcomment.nationalpost.com |date=2011-05-06 |access-date=2012-03-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714211603/http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/05/06/scott-stinson-liberals-begin-process-of-redefinition/ |archive-date=2012-07-14 }}</ref> During his second term, the PCs' policies were unpopular, while the failure of the [[Meech Lake Accord|Meech Lake]] and [[Charlottetown Accord|Charlottetown]] Accords frustrated Quebec and stirred up [[Western alienation]]. New regional parties which formed in protest: the [[Bloc Québécois]] in Quebec and the [[Reform Party of Canada|Reform Party]] in the west. Meanwhile, the [[New Democratic Party of Canada|New Democratic Party]], the longtime third party in parliament, fell from 43 seats to nine, as their endorsement of the Charlottetown Accord and Quebec nationalism cost them support among organized labour and rural voters in the west, which switched their support to Reform. Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives were nearly wiped out, falling from 156 seats to only two—the worst defeat of a sitting government at the federal level.
** The Liberals under Chrétien would win a further two consecutive majorities in 1997 and 2000, while never being seriously challenged as the largest party. The Progressive Conservatives never recovered, ultimately merging with the Reform Party's successor, the [[Canadian Alliance]], to form the new [[Conservative Party of Canada]] in late 2003.
** The Bloc Québécois would remain a major presence in federal politics, with the party winning either the most or second-most seats in the province in every election since (with the exception of 2011 and 2015).
* [[2004 Canadian federal election|2004 election]]
** While [[Paul Martin]]'s Liberals retained enough seats to continue as the government, it saw the re-emergence of a united [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative Party]], resulting in a four party system. This was also the first of three elections where no party managed a majority of seats.