While the federal Liberals smugly refer to themselves as Canada’s natural governing party, the historical record suggests that may be true, despite the danger it poses to democracy.

They’ve been in charge of the country 70% of the time since 1900.

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They are currently on a 14-year run of uninterrupted power starting in 2015, without needing to face voters again until 2029.

If their current polling numbers hold until 2029, they would win a massive majority government, guaranteeing uninterrupted Liberal rule until 2034, or for almost two decades.

Starting in 2015, the Liberals – their power base centred in eastern and central Canada and vote-rich cities such as Toronto – have defeated the Conservatives in four consecutive elections, securing an after-the-vote majority government in the wake of the 2025 election, courtesy of four Conservative floor crossers.

The addition of one defector from the NDP is less significant than the NDP’s collapse ever since the 2011 election.

That was when the NDP reached its electoral high point under the late Jack Layton, winning 103 seats and 30.6% of the popular vote, thus becoming the official opposition to a Conservative majority government led by Stephen Harper, the last time the Tories won a federal election.

In last year’s election, the NDP captured a mere 6.29% of the popular vote and just seven seats, now down to five after the one MP defected to the Liberals and another quit to run in the Quebec........

© Edmonton Sun