Liberals sign up 450,000 - Canada

[dArKeR]

The federal Liberal Party now has more than 450,000 members, making it the largest political party in Canadian history, political scientists say, thanks largely to an aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at electing a new leader.

Members who joined on or before June 20 qualify to vote on delegates to the Nov. 15 convention, where the party will elect a replacement for Jean Chrétien.

Preliminary numbers from the campaigns of the three contenders show that leadership front-runner Paul Martin is largely responsible for the record growth in sales of party membership since the spring, mounting an especially strong drive in the western provinces and Ontario.

http://theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030708.ulibs0708/BNStory/National/

[Liberator_Rev]

1. Out of a population of about 30,000,000 ?

I guess it's good news, but their political parties don't appear to function like the U.S. parties, if 450,000 is the strongest party out of a population of about 30,000,000.

[glarius]

2. Canadians seldom join political parties...we have large turnout in federal

elections but we're just not big on joining parties!!
edit: We don't have to belong to a party in order to vote...Am I wrong in thinking that in the States you have to be registered as belonging to one of the parties before you can vote?????

[StevenLee]

4. That's very true G...

450,000 is quite a huge number for joining of a political party in Canada... In fact, it was front page news here (The Star, Globe)...
Most Canadians vote for whom they think can best run the country...
for me, I voted Liberals in the last election (my first eligible vote) the next Federal I am voting NDP...

[AmericanErrorist]

3. In most states...

but you can register as an independent.

[jos]

6. Hey CC

Glad to see you're supporting Kucinich.

:hi:

"josh"

[jos]

5. Bandwagon effect

I think a lot of people want to be with a perceived winner, and the winning party. But I have a feeling that Martin may not do as well as he is currently projected to do.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

7. The Liberal Party...

tends to be center-left on social policy, fiscally conservative, and very popular with a broad range of people.
Unlike the Canadian Alliance which is the party of the racist, right wing, xenophobic, bigoted, rednecks!