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Unfortunately, nothing in politics is that simple. To begin with, while the Liberals are often characterized as left of centre, and some of their current and past policies are progressive, traditionally they have been a big-tent party occupying the middle of the road. In fact, that was a secret of their success for the first 135 years after Confederation. So there are many people who have often voted Liberal but don’t view themselves as left wing.

Also, the voting decisions of Canadians are fluid and complex and people who vote for a particular party in one election do not vote en masse for the same party or a different one in the next campaign. While it’s tempting for pundits to look at voters as blocks, they are individuals. Many people who vote Liberal are not necessarily Liberal voters.

Most significantly, it’s clear that throughout Canadian history, there has been a significant group of voters that has switched between the Liberals and the Conservatives (or Progressive Conservatives), depending on circumstances, leaders, platforms and other factors. Indeed, since the NDP has never formed a government, these swing voters who go back and forth between the other two parties have decided almost every Canadian election so far.

As one small example, the old riding of Ottawa West alternated between Liberals and Progressive Conservative MPs for seven elections from 1968 to 1988. This didn’t happen because progressive people moved in and out of the riding every few years; it’s because some people who voted Liberal in 1968, 1974, 1980 and 1988 voted PC in 1972, 1979 and 1984, in Ottawa West and across Canada. So the idea that anyone who votes Liberal is a progressive who would never vote Conservative is a complete fallacy.