The Libertarian Party of Canada: capable of attracting some left-wing votes?

[Machjo]

I was looking at the Libertarian web-site at:

Libertarian Party of Canada - Welcome

Though we'd usually think of it as a right-wing party, it does have a few points that could be attractive to the left:

On native autonomy:

"We call for the honouring of all just claims of native people to land, property, and autonomy."

On military strength:

"We support the maintenance of a military establishment sufficient to defend Canada against foreign aggression."

Unclaimed territory and disputes:

"We oppose the recognition of fiat claims, advanced by nations or international boundaries, to currently unclaimed territory such as the ocean floor of extraterrestrial bodies. We support the development of objective standards for recognizing a claim of sovereignty over such territory."

Honestly, there's not much else that Libertarians have in common with the left in general, and in some respects, the Conservatives have more in common with the left than Libertarians do. But considering that there are currently specific core areas where the Libertarians and the left want similar changes, I could see the value of a Libertarian-left co-alition specifically to bring the troops home and then honour all just contracts with the First Nations. Sure the co-alition would likely dissolve after that, with the Libertarians going back to the Conservatives, but this time with the constant threat hanging over Conservaive heads of going back to the left if the Conservatives try wasting taxpayers' money on foreign wars again.

 

[Tyr]

The way you described a Libertarian-Left marriage is highly unlikely and ideologically untenable

A Libertarian - Conservative (true conservative, not the Harper brand) might be possible

 

[taxslave]

No chance of dippers ever joining with any party that wants to cut out freeloading off the taxpayer. Or making every one responsible for their own actions.

 

[Machjo]

The way you described a Libertarian-Left marriage is highly unlikely and ideologically untenable

A Libertarian - Conservative (true conservative, not the Harper brand) might be possible

I think a Libertarian-Conservative-Green co-alition could make for an interesting combo.

The Libertarians would keep spending down, the Conservatives, well, they'd be pushing to aggrandize the military. That's where the Greens and Libertarians could keep them in check to some degree. The Greens would push for a more user-pay system, in favour of not just some income, but all income being split between couples, and compensating through more user-pay type taxes like carbon taxes.

Honestly, it would be a hard co-alition to maintain, though. Libertarians tend to want to cut spending on nearly everything whereas the military tends to be a sacred cow for the Conservatives, perhaps one of the few differences between them. The Greens are more in favour of a user-pay type taxation system which I would think conservatives would agree to. But the Greens, though economically conservative, are socially progresive and cosmopolitan. They'd likely be opposed, or at the very least hesitant, about getting into the abortion, gay-marriage, or other similar issues, and some Libertarians might lean that way too. THe Greens are also quite pro-UN, a potential wedge between them and the Conservatives and Libertarians, neither of which is fond of the UN (Libertarians even want to withdraw from the UN).

So from what I could see, it would create an economically conservative co-alition, but a militarily spend-thrift one too (to the dismay of the Conservatives), with deadlock on moral issues and the UN (as the vote would likely be quite split there).

The Greens would likely refuse to join in such a co-alition unless the Libertarians and Conservative together formed a near-majority, with the Greens having just enough seats to make a 50%+1. Otherwise, the Greens would likely want to join with the Liberals and NDP (though that would be a fragile co-alition too, with the Greens being the more economically conservative of the left-wing parties).

I know. I know. In my dreams.

 

[ironsides]

Lets not forget that a Libertarian pretty much has a do what ever you want policy. No interference, do your thing attitude.

 

[Machjo]

Lets not forget that a Libertarian pretty much has a do what ever you want policy. No interference, do your thing attitude.

I do tend to like that about them to some degree, with some reservations. Laws are still needed to control the excesses caused by too much freedom. That's why I wold not want to see a Libertarian majority government, but I might not mind a Libertarian co-alition government. That would push us more towards Libertarianism but still with some checks and balances. Though I identify more with the moderate left than I do with the right, I have to say that as far as right-wing parties are concerned, I prefer Libertarians to Conservatives owing to their less militaristic stance. Conservatives always seem to make an exception when it comes to the military. Just look at Reagan. A fiscal conservative in every sence but one; he blew the debt sky high with military spending, such that even a socialist party could not have kept up! Thatcher was another classic example of a fiscal conservative in every sence but one, with al the money being flushed into the military.

Strangely enough, probably the only issues that make me lean left are my support for the UN and international law. If it weren't for that, I'd pretty much be a libertarian (Libertarians want to withdraw altogether from the UN, another reason I wouldn't want to see a Libertarian majority). But a Libertarian co-alition government, now that I could see. And ironically enough, if any right-left coalition could be possible, it would likely be a Libertarian-Green coalition since Libertarians' military policies are more likely to be tolerated by the left than Conservative ones.

Though granted any right-left co-alition would be a hard sell to say the least. I'm just saying if it were in any way possible, it Libertarian-Green woudl stand the closest chance.Though again, i doubt either of them would want that and would rather stick to lef-left or right-right co-alitions obviously.