Federal Minor Party Round Up

Beyond the five parties with elected MPs, there were 13 other active federal political parties.   In the 2011 federal election collectively they ran 224 candidates and 54,592 Canadians voted for them.   What is happening with all these minor parties federally?

Moderately Active

• Pirate Party of Canada - They seem to be the most active minor political party in the country.  Their Facebook page is very active.
• Christian Heritage Party - The party held a convention last year.   The website is being updated consistently. They list contacts for 34 ridings across the country.  Though they have no events listed on their website
• Canadian Action Party - Christopher Porter is putting energy into getting the party happening.   The website is being updated but it is clear the party is very short on active members.   I can only find the names of seven or so active people in the party.  They do have forums that are getting a small amount of traffic.  They are at least trying to find a candidate for the upcoming potential Etobicoke Centre by-election, though they do not say anything about the upcoming Calgary Centre and Durham by-elections.
• Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) - in the face of reality and copious economic research, they continue on faith and an amazing devotion to dear departed St Hardial Bains.
• Libertarian Party of Canada - in the past this party has been moribund between elections, but they seem to be more active now than in most elections.   

Barely Active

• Rhinoceros Party of Canada - they have regular postings of articles but little else.   Though if a joke party can be that active, any other political party that can not achieve at least that is a joke that it continues at all.

Moribund since the federal election:

• Communist Party of Canada - I am surprised they have ceased any activity since the election, I would have thought the comrades would have continued plodding along on faith and martyrdom alone forever
• First People's National Party of Canada - looks like their website has not been updated since the election.
• Progressive Canadian Party - no updates since January of 2010 that I can see on their website, but they have some life on Facebook
• Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada - they have a limited amount of life on the blog part of their website.
• Marijuana Party - I find little on the website to indicate any federal party activity.
• Western Block Party - effectively moribund, there is very limited life on the website and only limited debate on facebook.
• United Party - very, very moribund