Talk:Canadian Future Party

The 'Centre Ice Conservatives' was a pressure group but not a branch of the federal Conservatives.

The History section isn't accurate. The CIC wasn't a branch of the Conservative Party of Canada, it was an outside pressure group that had some members within the Conservative Party. If it was a branch of the Conservative Party the likes of Denis Blanchette a former NDP MP and Green Party candidate wouldn't have joined. Again, the CIC was never a Conservative Party branch. FireInMe (talk) 00:48, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"What was originally the Centre Ice Conservatives, and then the Centre Ice Canadians, emerged mid-pandemic believing the federal Conservatives had drifted too far right, as Poilievre steamrolled over a more centrist-positioned Jean Charest to grab party leadership."[1] It was started as "Centre Ice Conservatives" a pressure group within the Conservative Party (the fact it wasn't a group with official standing in the CPC is irrelevant.) They then left the CPC and changed their name to Centre Ice Canadians. They then founded the Canadian Future Party. Yes, some Liberals and NDPers have joined but the group originated as a split from the CPC and this is sourced in the article. Centre Ice Conservatives-> Centre Ice Canadians -> Canadian Future Party. This might not be how the party describes itself but that's irrelevant.This article is not a promotional piece and since the origins if the party as a group that split from the CPC is well documented it is a factual statement. Wellington Bay (talk) 01:18, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Yes, it was a pressure group during the lead up to the 2022 Conservative leadership election. However, it was not a part of the party. Pressure groups are independent organizations that are created to shift thinking, the Centre Ice Conservatives was such an organization in order to elect Charest. But it was not a branch of the Conservatives. It was created via former members of the main parties. That being said I will not undo your edit in order to avoid an edit war. While the article should be accurate and your edit is not. FireInMe (talk) 01:25, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

In other words it wasn't created via Conservative MPs crossing the floor in order to create a new party, which would be what a split entails. For example, the People's Party of Canada split from the Conservatives since Maxime Bernier was a former Conservative MP. The PPC was split from the Conservatives. FireInMe (talk) 01:36, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

You're fashioning your own unique definition of what a split is. You don't need MPs or MLAs to cross the floor to have a split, nor does the group splitting need to he an official "branch" of the party. The best known example in Canada is The Waffle which split from the NDP in 1972 which was neither a "recognized" group and no MPs or MPPs left the NDP with them. Wellington Bay (talk) 01:47, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

I'm aware of The Waffle, which happened to be a wing of the NDP prior to its split (as stated in its Wikipedia article). My definition still stands in regards to The Waffle example. FireInMe (talk) 03:50, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

The Waffle had no official status in the NDP, much like Centre Ice Conservatives - "wing" is a colloquial term - one could just as well say Centre Ice was the centrist wing of the Tories (putting aside that birds have only right and left wings) - it confers no formal status. The Waffle wasn't recognised by the NDP as an official NDP club or affiliate - it was a left wing pressure group within the NDP and as I pointed out above, no MP or MPP quit the NDP with them, contrary to your claim that "this is what a split entails".Wellington Bay (talk) 04:00, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

It was a recognized wing (branch) of the NDP. Also, I didn't say an MP needed to quit in order to be considered a split I said it needed to be a faction of the caucus or an official branch to be a split. The Centre Ice Conservatives was started as a outside pressure group. The Canada Future Party is more comparable to the Alberta Party. The Alberta Party started as a right-wing alternative to the Progressive Conservatives. However, when the Wildrose Party became the alternative the more hard-core conservatives left to join Wildrose. This left a moderate conservative stump which merged with centrists and left-wingers.

The Centre Ice Conservatives started as a pressure group (outside the Conservative Party) but it constituted of Conservative Party members (Unlike the Waffles which were recognized by the NDP, as stated in their Wikipedia article). The Canada Future Party was created separately from the Centre Ice Conservatives when they were joined by other parties, which diminished it being considered a split. In other words the Future Party was started from scratch, and not a split. FireInMe (talk) 04:37, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"Unlike the Waffles which were recognized by the NDP, as stated in their Wikipedia article" - no the article does not state that and no the Waffle was not a "recognized wing" - it had no official status - I can dig up press accounts from the time if you like. You are simply making an uninformed assertion. Another example of a party split that disproves your criteria is the Action démocratique du Québec which split from the Quebec Liberal Party in 1994. The ADQ again was not a recognized faction of the Liberals prior to the split and no MNAs crossed the floor. Wellington Bay (talk) 04:44, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Let's say for arguments sake you're right. The Waffles were still founded within the confines of the NDP. The Centre Ice Conservatives were founded as a separate organization, which ceased to exist when they joined forces with factions of the Liberals, NDP, Green, PPC. If you want to use the word "split" in a loose sense it's a split of all major parties. I have a hard time considering Denis Blanchette as a Conservative, he was a representative of the NDP/Green faction that formed the Future Party.

Which is my whole argument. In order to be a split the organization needs to be created in the confines of a political party rather than a group created separate from it. FireInMe (talk) 05:23, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

There is also the Parti socialiste du Québec which split from the Quebec NDP in 1968 - again not a recognised faction prior to the split and no MPs or MLAs crossed the floor. Wellington Bay (talk) 04:53, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

From the Wikipedia article about the Parti socialiste du Québec:

"The PSQ was founded in November 1963 as the result of a split at the founding conference of the original New Democratic Party of Quebec, held in June 1963, over the issue of Quebec self-determination with Michel Chartrand, former leader of the Parti social démocratique du Québec, among the nationalists supporting self-determination."

As you can see from the bold text it was within the confines of the party, thus a split occurred. The same can't be said about the Centre Ice Conservatives which ceased to exist when they merged to various factions of other parties. FireInMe (talk) 05:28, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Completely aware some founding members left the CPC. Just like others left other parties (Liberal, NDP, PPC, Green). It was a collaborative effort, as the articles you sourced stated. FireInMe (talk) 11:33, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"I didn't say an MP needed to quit in order to be considered a split." You actually did. You said: "In other words it wasn't created via Conservative MPs crossing the floor in order to create a new party, which would be what a split entails." Wellington Bay (talk) 04:58, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

I said that was one example of how a split can occur. FireInMe (talk) 05:16, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

No, you said it's "what a split entails", not what it could or might entail, not one of several possibilities. You were absolute and claimed a split entais "MPs crossing the floor in order to create a new party". I showed you that's wrong so now you are backtracking. Let's look at another of your claims:

"The Canada Future Party was created separately from the Centre Ice Conservatives when they were joined by other parties, which diminished it being considered a split. In other words the Future Party was started from scratch." This assertion is not supported by the evidence:

1) The advocacy group Centre Ice Canadians, headed by former Conservative leadership candidate Rick Peterson, is thinking about jumping into the electoral arena with a new federal party.

Peterson told CBC News that CIC's supporters are in favour of creating a new "centrist" party.

"We're going to be exploring whether it's feasible to start a new federal party that would have a centrist approach," Peterson said. "The indication so far is there is tremendous interest in taking the step."[[2]

2) Cardy said the group, which had first been called Centre Ice Conservatives, decided to change its name after months of consultation on the idea of launching a new party.

A group of moderate Tories used the group as a vehicle to push for change during last year's Conservative leadership race, arguing their party should focus on topics such as affordability rather than issues arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

They eventually broadened their scope, swapping out "Conservatives" for "Canadians" in the title so as to include Liberals who were interested in the push for a more centrist message in Canadian politics.[3]

3) Called the “Canadian Future” Party, the upstart group will now begin the task of registering with Elections Canada and eventually preparing to contest elections, Cardy said in an interview on Wednesday...What was originally the Centre Ice Conservatives, and then the Centre Ice Canadians, emerged mid-pandemic believing the federal Conservatives had drifted too far right, as Poilievre steamrolled over a more centrist-positioned Jean Charest to grab party leadership...“If the Centre Ice team decides to launch a new political party this fall, these are the ideas that we’ll share first,” Cardy wrote in revealing the policy document. [4]

Sure doesn't sound like "The Canada Future Party was created separately from the Centre Ice Conservatives" or "the Future Party was started from scratch." Wellington Bay (talk) 05:29, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Started from scratch via delegates of all major parties. FireInMe (talk) 11:34, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"which ceased to exist when they merged to various factions of other parties." What factions? Denis Blanchette is not a faction - he's one guy who was in the NDP and then the Greens. One guy isn't a faction. Nor is one former Liberal a "faction". Cardy, MacPhail, Peterson, and almost all the founders, exec members and members of the national council are ex-Tories. Sure, the party wants to attract Liberals and others and so isn't highlighting that but we aren't their PR service. All the evidence from various published sources is the party was formed by a split from the CPC. You may wish to spin that differently and pretend the party *wasn't* founded by what used to be Centre Ice Conservatives, and that somehow the party was founded "separately" "from scratch" but the sources and statements by Cardy and Peterson contradict that claim. Wellington Bay (talk) 05:41, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

1.) The advocacy group Centre Ice Canadians, headed by former Conservative leadership candidate Rick Peterson, is thinking about jumping into the electoral arena with a new federal party.

Peterson told CBC News that CIC's supporters are in favour of creating a new "centrist" party.

"We're going to be exploring whether it's feasible to start a new federal party that would have a centrist approach," Peterson said. "The indication so far is there is tremendous interest in taking the step."

YES! That's exactly what I was trying to say but you insisted I was wrong. It was meant to be a centrist party all along, not a new right-wing party.

2.)"Cardy said the group, which had first been called Centre Ice Conservatives, decided to change its name after months of consultation on the idea of launching a new party."

Essentially my entire point. The consultation was a means to create a centrist party. Not a new Conservative Party, like you claim.

3.) Didn't say Denis Blanchette was a faction, I said he's a representative of a faction that created the party.

I find it kind of funny that you use points that buttresses my entire argument then say I'm wrong. FireInMe (talk) 11:03, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Reading the articles you cited I feel confident about my stance. The articles are mentioning many of the things I brought up. Not denying the accuracy of your sources, I'm glad you found sources that confirm my stance. FireInMe (talk) 11:42, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Check it out for yourself: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-politics-briefing-canada-getting-a-national-political-party-aimed-at/ FireInMe (talk) 12:15, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"It was meant to be a centrist party all along, not a new right-wing party." No one said it's a "new right-wing party", it originated with centrists within the Conservative party who split because the new leader is too right wing. It's a centrist split from a centre-right party. Wellington Bay (talk) 12:21, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Which was joined by centrists from other parties when they rebranded themselves as Centre Ice Canadians. The founders of the Future Party were spread out among the various major parties. FireInMe (talk) 13:10, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-future-party-launches-1.7294230

Quote: "We've got folks around our leadership table who have backgrounds in all of the major political parties at different levels, including former MPs," Dominic Cardy said."

Cardy himself says what I've been saying this whole time. FireInMe (talk) 13:19, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Yes but they started as Centre Ice Conservatives, a pressure group within the CPC. That other people joined later doesn't change their origin as a split from the CPC. The claim that CFP had nothing to do with CIC and started from "scratch" is inconsistent with the source material. Wellington Bay (talk) 13:25, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

The Centre Ice Conservatives was actually outside the official Conservative organization, it was Independent. The others who left the Liberals, NDP, Green, PPC didn't join later they were founding members. Your argument that the party is merely a moderate Conservative party was proved incorrect per Dominic Cardy's own comment. FireInMe (talk) 14:04, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

I said that the CIC wasn't a sole founder of the CFP, they clearly played a major role in the foundation of the party. FireInMe (talk) 14:06, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

You can say it was a loose "split" of the Liberals, Conservatives, New Democrats, Green Party, and People's Party which all had founding members within the Canadian Future Party and whose policies have been incorporated into the CFP platform. FireInMe (talk) 14:13, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Also, to quote Cardy founding members included "people on Jack Layton's team". You realize who Jack Layton was? FireInMe (talk) 20:16, 17 August 2024 (UTC)

There was no "Centre Ice Liberals" group leaving the Liberals etc. There may be individuals joining who used to belong to other parties but the only group that left a party is the Centre Ice Conservatives leaving the CPC much as the Waffle as a group left the NDP in the 70s. That's why it's a split from the CPC. Wellington Bay (talk)

"Didn't say Denis Blanchette was a faction, I said he's a representative of a faction that created the party." A "faction" of one person. There is no Blanchette wing of the NDP or Greens that's followed him. Wellington Bay (talk) 13:54, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

"There was no "Centre Ice Liberals" group leaving the Liberals etc." I never said there was. The Centre Ice Conservatives became the Centre Ice Canadians as former members of the Liberals, NDP, Green, PPC, etc joined the party. It was the Centre Ice Canadians that formed the Canadian Future Party; thus making it a loosely defined split of ALL major parties, as Dominic Cardy himself stated. FireInMe (talk) 22:50, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

Party Ideology

Seeing as how someone has added neo-liberalism to the ideology section of the infobox it might be a good idea to figure out what the criteria are for including something there. There hasn't been much reflection on the party so I'm not sure if every inclusion needs a source but that could be the best policy going forward. Wilson (talk) 10:46, 16 August 2024 (UTC)

I think Neoliberalism was added probably because of the Christy Clark portion of the party. FireInMe (talk) 11:28, 16 August 2024 (UTC)