Hub Podcasts The Americanization of Canadian politics
May 5, 2025
Eric Kaufmann, a Professor of Politics at the University of Buckingham and author of 'The Third Awokening,' dives into the evolving Canadian political landscape. He discusses the shift from economic divides to cultural factors affecting voting behavior. Kaufmann highlights how immigration views have polarized Canadian opinions, mirroring trends in the U.S. He argues that identity and values are now pivotal in shaping electoral decisions, potentially leading Canada toward a two-party system driven by cultural issues.
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Cultural Fit Shapes Voting
- Politics in Canada is shifting from an economic left-right divide to a cultural globalist-nationalist one.
- Education level now heavily influences party preference, with the highly educated favoring liberals and less educated favoring conservatives.
Immigration Drives Polarization
- Immigration attitudes strongly differentiate liberal and conservative voters in Canada, mirroring U.S. trends.
- This cultural division creates durable party loyalty and rising polarization, even without explicit election debate on these issues.
Bloc Politics Over Swing Voters
- Canadian politics is evolving into two broad blocs: a left block (Liberals, NDP, Greens) and a right block (Tories, People's Party).
- Voter movement will mainly occur within these blocs, not between Liberals and Conservatives anymore.
