PC: Progressives form a minority government after the 1921 Canadian election

[Nofix]

December 6, 1921, Canada held the first post-WWI election. The Conservative government of Arthur Meighen lost nearly half of their vote from the previous election in 1917, and over two-thirds of their seats. Despite getting second place in the popular vote, the new Progressive Party surpassed them in the seat count (58 to 49).

Assuming the Progressive Party could take a plurality of the seats, and they took a couple dozen more ridings from the Conservatives and Liberals: could, and would, this new party form a minority government? A few other disaffected agrarian parties formed government in several provinces (including Alberta a few months before the federal election ). The United Farmers of Ontario formed a coalition government with Labour after the 1919 provincal election, despite themselves only receiving third place in the vote.

 

[True Grit]

My quick guess: they either fizzle out rapidly like the United Farmers of Ontario did IOTL (after having been thrust into government unexpectedly) or, perhaps more likely, a realignment occurs where the Progressives become Canada's main left/centre-left party and the Liberals become the main right-wing one.

 

[Nofix]

My quick guess: they either fizzle out rapidly like the United Farmers of Ontario did IOTL (after having been thrust into government unexpectedly) or, perhaps more likely, a realignment occurs where the Progressives become Canada's main left/centre-left party and the Liberals become the main right-wing one.

So...they succeed or they fail? Real helpful there man.

But seriously, might we see a Liberal-Conservative merger (or at least alliance) against Progressive, Labour, Socialists and the left Liberals? Would a rump Conservative Party, left with barely a couple dozen seats, try for a merger with their arch rivals to stave off death? Would the Quebec-centered Liberal Party even accept such a thing?

 

[True Grit]

So...they succeed or they fail? Real helpful there man.

But seriously, might we see a Liberal-Conservative merger (or at least alliance) against Progressive, Labour, Socialists and the left Liberals? Would a rump Conservative Party, left with barely a couple dozen seats, try for a merger with their arch rivals to stave off death? Would the Quebec-centered Liberal Party even accept such a thing?

Well, y'know, I had to cover every option

I think the Tories might eventually try and force a merger, but I think the Liberals would be against it, partly because they might believe that they'll die a natural death sooner or later but more importantly I think because of bad memories from the last time the two parties cooperated (that being the WWI conscription crisis)

 

[Emperor Julian]

If there is no merger, could there be a collapse in either Conservative or Liberal support as their voters go to whichever party looks stronger to try and stop the Progressives?

 

[Nofix]

If there is no merger, could there be a collapse in either Conservative or Liberal support as their voters go to whichever party looks stronger to try and stop the Progressives?

That's more or less what happened in Britain more or less, as anti-socialist Liberals jumped ship to the Conservatives when they saw the Tories would be a much better vehicle to stop the Reds.

 

[RogueBeaver]

The Progressives were essentially a bunch of independents elected under the same banner and fell apart within months. No way in hell could they hold together, and they took just about everything they could. If we use ASBs, they'd end like the Ontario UFO: vaporized by their major establishment opponent, which resumed its dynastic hegemony.