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Political parties

NDP Denied Official Party Status in House of Commons Due to Drop in Seats

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The New Democratic Party (NDP) has been denied official party status in the House of Commons following the recent federal election, where they fell to seven seats from 24. This decision was made by Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals, citing the 1963 Senate and House of Commons Act, which requires a recognized membership of 12 or more persons in the House of Commons to be granted official party status. The NDP's seat count and popular vote decline was not enough to meet this threshold, and party leader Jagmeet Singh's resignation did not help their cause.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NDP's seven seats are well below the 12-seat requirement needed for official party status, as per the 1963 Senate and House of Commons Act.
  • The party's seat count and popular vote declined significantly in the recent federal election, with just over 1.23 million votes, or 6.29 per cent, being cast in their favor.
  • Party leader Jagmeet Singh resigned after finishing a distant third in the newly created Burnaby Central riding.
  • The NDP's seat count drop to nine seats from 43 in the 1993 election was the worst in the party's history, leading to a similar situation in this election.
  • The definition of a "political party" by the Canadian government requires a recognized membership of 12 or more persons in the House of Commons, which the NDP does not meet.
  • The decision not to grant official party status was made by Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals, who cited the need to follow the rules and set a bar for political representation.
  • The rules are in place to prevent small protest parties and one-issue parties from acquiring power and status right off the bat.
  • Harry Day's quote in 1931, "You know my views about some regulations - they're written for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men," highlights the importance of following rules, even if they may seem questionable.

Statistics:

  • The NDP dropped from 24 to seven seats in the recent federal election.
  • The party received just over 1.23 million votes, or 6.29 per cent, in the election.
  • The NDP's seat count drop to nine seats from 43 in the 1993 election was the worst in the party's history.
  • The definition of a "political party" by the Canadian government requires a recognized membership of 12 or more persons in the House of Commons.
  • The NDP would have needed to win at least 11 seats to be almost guaranteed official party status, according to Michael Taube's analysis.

Sources:

  • Michael Taube's article in the National Post.

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