As mail-in ballots continue to be counted for the Sept. 20 federal election, here are how some of Canada’s smaller parties have fared as of Sept. 22.
People’s Party of Canada
The PPC didn’t win any seats but garnered a total of 831,423 votes—an increase of its share of the national vote to 5 percent, up from less than 2 percent in 2019. Leader Maxime Bernier was defeated in his riding of Beauce, Quebec, coming in second behind the incumbent Conservative candidate Richard Lehoux. Bernier campaigned largely on upholding personal liberties and fighting for COVID-19 vaccine choice.
Maverick Party
The Maverick Party, which evolved from the Wexit Movement and officially formed in July 2020, received a total of 34,451 votes from supporters—making up 0.2 percent of the national votes cast in this federal election. The party’s focus is to get their candidates elected to represent western provinces and northern territories in Ottawa.The party received the most votes in Alberta (25,058, 1.3 percent of AB votes), followed by Saskatchewan (7,100, 1.4 percent of SK votes), B.C. (1,882, 0.1 percent of B.C. votes), and Manitoba (401, 0.1 percent of MB votes).
Christian Heritage Party
The CHP, a pro-life federal political party that endorses the Judeo-Christian principles, was supported by 8,888 votes (0.05 percent) nationally—down from 18,901 votes (0.1 percent) in 2019.The party, which seeks to bring forward Biblical perspectives on issues confronting Canada in Parliament, had candidates in the Prairies, B.C., Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and PEI.
The Libertarian Party of Canada
The Libertarian Party received 4,805 votes (0.03 percent). The party’s platform opposes COVID-19 lockdown measures and vaccine mandates. The party concentrated its campaign in the Atlantic provinces, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta, and B.C.They garnered about half as many votes as in 2019 when they received 8,367 votes (0.05 percent) nationally.
Sloan
Former MP Derek Sloan didn’t succeed in his run as an independent for Banff-Airdrie in Alberta, coming in fifth with a vote count of 1,835. Incumbent Conservative candidate Blake Richards was re-elected in the riding for a fifth term with a total votes of 41,195.Sloan ran in Alberta after leaving the race in his previously held riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington in Ontario. His wife, Jennifer Sloan, ran there as an independent but came in sixth, defeated by Conservative Shelby Kramp-Neuman, who won 46 percent of the votes in the Ontario riding.
Sloan had also announced the creation of his True North Party ahead of the election call, but since his proposed party wasn’t approved by Elections Canada by the time the writ was dropped, he couldn’t formally run candidates for the election. He said in a previous interview that he and his supporters would organize some candidates to run as independents, who would then join his party if they are elected, once True North is formally approved.
