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Quebec sovereigntist federal party that runs candidates only in Quebec. Founded in 1991 by former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Lucien Bouchard, originally as a parliamentary caucus of seven MPs who left the PC and Liberal benches over the failure of the Meech Lake Accord. Won Official Opposition status at the 1993 federal election with 54 seats. Has supported the sovereigntist option in both 1995 (Quebec referendum) and 2014 (Scottish referendum) discussions, while focusing on Quebec interests at the federal level in non-referendum years. Notable recent: drove Bill C-282 of 44-1 (supply-management protection in trade negotiations, royal assent 2024) and Bill C-238 (extending Quebec's Bill 101 to federally regulated workplaces in Quebec). Currently led by Yves-François Blanchet since January 17, 2019, holding 32 seats after the 2025 election.
Right-of-centre party formed in 2003 from the merger of the Canadian Alliance (founded 2000 as a successor to the Reform Party of 1987) and the federal Progressive Conservative Party (1942-2003). Stephen Harper led the merged party to government in 2006, winning re-election in 2008 and a majority in 2011. Lost government to Justin Trudeau's Liberals in 2015 and remained Official Opposition through 2015-2025 under Harper, Andrew Scheer (2017-2020), Erin O'Toole (2020-2022), and Pierre Poilievre (since September 10, 2022). Won the 2025 popular vote on the strength of an affordability and housing-supply campaign anchored by Bill C-356 (Building Homes Not Bureaucracy Act), but came up short of forming government. Currently the Official Opposition under Pierre Poilievre.
Environmentalist federal party founded in 1983. Elizabeth May became leader in 2006 and won the party's first parliamentary seat in 2011 (Saanich-Gulf Islands), held since. May stepped down in 2019; Annamie Paul (2020-2021), Elizabeth May again as interim (2022), Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault as co-leaders from 2022 to 2024. Pedneault stepped down in 2024 and May continued as sole leader. Currently held two seats after the 2025 election: Elizabeth May and Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre, elected 2021). Federal Green policy centers on climate-emergency response (50% emissions reduction by 2030, net-zero by 2040, faster than Liberal targets), proportional representation, basic income, and pharmacare/dental expansion. Has positioned itself as the most aggressive on civil-liberties and digital-rights issues among federal parties.
The Independent Senators Group is the largest of three non-government Senate caucuses created after the 2016 Senate modernization reforms, alongside the Canadian Senators Group and the Progressive Senate Group. ISG senators are appointed through the merit-based independent advisory process established by the Trudeau government in 2016 and do not caucus with any political party. The reform was a response to the Senate-expenses scandal of 2013-2015 and follows years of advocacy for a less partisan upper chamber. The ISG works on a consensus-based, non-whipped model: senators vote based on individual judgment rather than party direction. ISG senators have sponsored major reform legislation including Bill C-77 (Modern Treaty Implementation Commissioner) and Bill S-5 (CEPA 1999 modernization).
Canada's oldest active federal party, founded in 1867 with George Brown among its founders. Centrist by orientation, historically pitching itself as the natural governing party. Has formed government for more total years than any other party in Canadian history (over 90 of the 158 years since Confederation). Notable post-2015 milestones: legalized cannabis (Bill C-45 of 42-1), enacted MAID (the medical-assistance-in-dying framework, 2016, expanded in 2021), implemented carbon pricing through the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act of 2018, modernized the Official Languages Act through Bill C-13 of 44-1, and signed the $10-a-day child-care bilateral agreements. Won majority government in 2015, then minorities in 2019 and 2021, then a majority in 2025 under Mark Carney after Justin Trudeau's resignation. Currently led by Mark Carney as of March 9, 2025.
Social-democratic federal party formed in 1961 from the merger of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (founded 1932 by J.S. Woodsworth) and the Canadian Labour Congress. Historically the party of medicare (Saskatchewan CCF Premier Tommy Douglas, often named the greatest Canadian, brought in publicly funded hospital insurance in 1947 and medicare in 1962). Federally never formed government but has frequently held the balance of power in minority Parliaments. Notable recent milestones: the 2022-2024 Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement under Jagmeet Singh that delivered the Canadian Dental Care Plan, the first phase of pharmacare (Bill C-64), and Bill C-58 banning federal replacement workers. Lost official party status in the 2025 election (fell below the 12-seat minimum). Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) serves as interim leader pending a leadership race.