Liberal Party of Canada

most important Federal political parties in the country, along with

the Conservative and New democratic parties. In the last parliamentary elections, the Liberal party won more than 54% of the seats in the lower house of Parliament and formed a government.

United in their ranks Anglo-and French-speaking reformists from Upper and Lower Canada, who spoke from anti-clerical positions and demanded the expansion of voting rights. After the formation of the Canadian Confederation in 1867, the Liberal party positioned itself as a supporter of reform, which allowed it to gradually establish itself as a key element [along with the Conservative party (in 1942-2003, the Progressive conservative party)] in the country's two-party system.

The official color of the Liberal party is red. The emblem-the inscription "liberal", part of which-era (era, epoch) is crowned with a maple leaf, which symbolizes the universal significance of liberalism for Canada and the historical services of the Liberal party to the country.

The first liberal Prime Minister A. Mackenzie (served in 1873-1878)

democratized parliamentary procedures, introduced the recording of debates and secret voting. Crucial to strengthening the position of the Liberal party was the work of W. Laurier (Prime Minister in 1896-1911), whose cabinets were active in immigration policy, development of Western Canada and railway construction, accompanied by an industrial boom and urbanization. During this period, the liberal party supported the development of free trade with the United States and opposed the policy of protectionism.

the Liberal party has undergone significant changes. The liberal governments

of W. L. M. king (1921-1926, 1926-1930, 1935-1948), L. St. Laurent (1948-1957), L. B. Pearson (1963-1968), and P. Trudeau (1968-1979, 1980-1984) pursued a policy of increasing state intervention in the economy and social sphere and laid the Foundation for Canada's "welfare state". In 1927, the liberals adopted the first canadian pension legislation, in the 1940s and 1970s implemented programs to help the unemployed, disabled, and many children, and actively promoted the development of culture and education. The Liberal party's authority was strengthened by its development of compromise approaches to solving such acute national problems as Franco-canadian separatism and Federal-provincial contradictions. In 1970, the Liberal party was able to prevent the secession of Quebec from Canada. While the Liberal party was in power in 1982, Canada's constitutional sovereignty was achieved. In the face of a deteriorating economic environment, the liberal cabinets of J. J. Chretien (1993-2003) and P. Martin (2003-2006) pursued a policy of reducing social spending, privatizing state-owned enterprises, consolidating the budget and strengthening the national currency. Internal party divisions and corruption scandals weakened the party's position in the 2006 and 2008 elections. The liberal party lost part of the electorate and was forced to take the opposition bench in Parliament.

a strict membership. The main party activity is concentrated in

the parliamentary faction. The activity of the party's supporters, which are organized by liberal associations and clubs, is shown mainly during election campaigns. The Liberal party is funded by donations from big business, voluntary contributions from supporters, and direct subsidies from the state budget for the party's participation in elections.