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The United Kingdom is overwhelmingly EnglishWhile this might be apparent to all the non-British out there—after all, how many Welsh or Scottish people do you tend to meet from the UK?—it may be surprising just how skewed the population is towards England.Here is a map of the 100 biggest towns and cities in the United Kingdom. 94 of them lie in England, while Scotland gets 4, Wales 3 and Northern Ireland 1. The Welsh population is generally located near the English border, while the borderlands between England and Scotland are less populated.Around 85% of the UK population is English. Within England itself, London is a clear dominating centre, although the Midlands and the North have their share of big cities too. If you added together the populations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the result would still be less than the greater urban population of London!Scotland’s population is mostly located in a strip between Glasgow and Edinburgh, while Wales’ population is generally on on or the southern and northern coasts of the ‘country’.That being said, there is a still a big difference between England, Britain and the United Kingdom—try not to mix up the terms. This is a topic for another day.The Canadian population is overwhelmingly close to the Canada-US borderCanada is a huge country—although when you are talking about populated areas it becomes much smaller than the average globe suggests.These are the 1000 biggest population centres in Canada. As you can see, the majority of them are close to the American border, especially in Ontario and Quebec. Statistics Canada claims that 63% of Canadians live within 100 kilometres of the border, while Vox claims the figure rises to 90% at 100 miles (around 160 km).A big misconception I see when people talk about this Canadian anomaly, is that Canadians don’t move north due to the cold. While the frigid temperatures of Yellowknife are unappealing for most potential homebuyers (yes, even for us Canadians), a far bigger problem is the Canadian Shield, which stretches from Labrador and Quebec, across Ontario and Manitoba and into the Canadian territories. This rocky landscape makes human habitation more challenging—in the case of Flin Flon, MB it meant houses strewn across massive boulders and above-ground sewage—and looking at the map, you will notice far fewer cities on this geographic landscape.Another problem is reason. There is little reason for people to live in many of the remote parts of Canada. The larger, more isolated cities on the map above are generally a result of industry, be it Prince George, Fort McMurray or Thunder Bay, and a large number of these industrial cities only became large in the second half of the 20th Century. The small communities even further north, on the other hand, are typically Indigenous communities.There is a noticeable East-West divide in Canada, with land travel between the two being a large undertaking. 56% of Canadians lived in the Quebec-Windsor Corridor in 2006, located in Southern Ontario and Quebec. Western Canada is more northernly and spread out, largely due to agriculture and cooperative land, rather than a better climate. I have heard people describe Canada as being a ‘land archipelago’, in which there are several population areas seperated not by water, but rather by desolate wasteland. In many cases, it is easier for a Canadian to travel to a foreign country rather than visit the other side of his or her own nation.Other (interesting) population distributions includeFrance, which has a decently even population spread, although Paris dominated the country.Egypt, who may or may not have an important river running through the country.And Russia, a country with the majority of its land in Asia, but most people live on the European side of the country.Cheers everyone, and may your populations always be distributed.

Little or nothing, If anything, it may make him more popular and solidify his position. It has been common to have different parties in power federally and provincially, and it’s a trend that has been going on for decades. For example, you’ll notice that…Stephen Harper and the Conservatives defeated Paul Martin’s Liberals , and came into power federally in early 2006, just a bit more than two years after Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals defeated Mike Harris’ Conservatives to take power in Ontario.And here we are a couple of years after the Liberal win federally, and the Conservatives have won in Ontario.Ontario had a Conservative Government all through the Pearson and Trudeau (the elder) years, but voted in a Liberal government the year after Mulroney’s Conservatives took power Federally.

Sure,Parties in Parliament:The Liberal Party of Canada is a centrist, big tent party somewhat akin to the Fianna Fail of Ireland, the US Democratic Party, post-1994 African National Congress or the Partido Revolucionario Institucional of Mexico (without the authoritarianism). Often labelled Canada’s “Natural Governing Party,” the federal Liberals have governed more often than not since the time of Laurier.They started off as a classical liberal party supportive of free trade with the USA and laissez-faire economics, but gradually accepted a Tory-lite ideology of moderate protectionism and fiscal conservatism during the Laurier and Mackenzie King years. Their ideological malleability, or ability to shift with the wind, has made them a durable force in Canadian politics. Under Lester B Pearson and Pierre Elliot Trudeau they moved leftwards, embracing many social democratic policies and often collaborating with the left-leaning NDP in minority parliaments, while during the Jean Chretien and Paul Martin years they moved to the centre-right embracing austerity, low corporate taxes and globalisation.Under Justin Trudeau they’ve sort of married a centrist pro-globalisation liberalism with social progressivism (in terms of economic policy, Justin has little in common with his dad Pierre). The ideological constants of the Liberal Party of Canada have been their commitment to asymmetrical federalism (a dominant role for Ottawa, subordinate for the provinces), sensitivity to sentiments in Quebec (they’ve proven less likely to piss the province off than the Tories), and a middling foreign policy approach that tries to balance maximising independence with pursuing close-ish collaboration with our closest ally (Britain before 1945, the USA since).Geographically their support tends to rely on Ontario (particularly Toronto and the 905 Suburban Belt), Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. They can sometimes be competitive in pockets of Western Canada (Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver), albeit they face stiffer competition from the NDP west of Lake Superior. They were founded in 1867 by Clear Grits and Reformers, colonial-era factions who supported greater democracy and autonomy from the British Empire.The newest of Canada’s main parties, the Conservative Party of Canada was founded via the merger of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party and Canadian Alliance (Reform Party) in 2004. Both parties disbanded themselves formally. The former PC Party was originally Canada’s oldest political party, having been formed in 1854.The Conservative Party is right of centre, modern conservative (economic liberalism + social conservatism), and very focused on Western Canada. A bit like one of their predecessors, the Reform Party, the new Tories have become strongly associated with the grievances of the Alberta Right (greater autonomy and the idea that Alberta gets a raw deal). Canada is more secular than the United States, ergo the Tories are wary of reopening abortion or equal marriage debates but broadly speaking they take a more traditionalist view of morality and are home to a small-ish Christian Right wing.On the economic front they tend to support a more radical form of trickle-down economics than the Liberals, are somewhat more sceptical of government intervention (except for oil sands subsidies), tend to support stronger economic integration with the United States, and on the foreign policy front are more hawkish (pro-military intervention), supportive of everything Israel does, sceptical of climate change initiatives (Kyoto, Paris). On law and order they tend to support stiff sentences, are sceptical of prisoner rehabilitation and drug decriminalisation, oppose additional gun control, etc, etc. (what you’d expect from conservative parties in many countries).Their other predecessor, the Progressive Conservative Party was more of a moderate, big tent party with a tradition of anti-American civic nationalism and a minority progressive populist wing (the Red Tories) - traits that the new Conservative Party has not inherited.The PC Party virtually collapsed in 1993 (157 seats down to 2), being replaced on the Right by the more regionalistic and socially conservative Reform Party. Prior to that, the old Tories occasionally governed after Canadians got sick of extended periods of Liberal rule (1911–1921, 1930–1935, 1957–1963, 1979–1980 and 1984–1993). Historically Tory support was centred around Ontario, but after the rise of Diefenbaker in 1957 Western Canada became an increasingly important part of their voter coalition (in 2019 the new Tories received 70% of the vote in Alberta).Stephen Harper, from the Reform/Alliance side of the merger, led the new Tories to power in 2006 following a Liberal corruption scandal. He successfully managed two minority parliaments before winning a majority government in 2011. Today the new Tories are firmly the alternative to the Liberals, but they’re struggling to expand outside of their Prairie (Alberta/Saskatchewan) base.Canada’s third party, the New Democratic Party (NDP) was formed in 1961 as an effort to reboot an older party, the CCF (Cooperative Commonwealth Federation). The CCF was formed in 1933 at the height of the Great Depression, as an agrarian socialist party. The NDP is a social democratic labour party, akin to Britain’s Labour Party, the social democratic parties of Scandinavian countries, New Zealand Labour, the French Parti Socialiste, etc, etc.They support public ownership over more things (a mixed market economy), are more sceptical of globalisation than the Liberals, are firmly committed to universal social programmes, progressive taxation (higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations), and foreign policy-wise they accept NATO, NORAD and Canada’s other defence commitments but are wary of signing onto new US-led projects (regime change wars, defence integration, etc.). On the social policy front, the NDP is consistently progressive (having supported equal marriage rights before it became mainstream, for example).The Party officially has ties to organised labour (the Canadian Labour Congress) and has affiliated provincial parties in every province, minus Quebec (where there’s an unaffiliated NPDQ, it’s a long story).Federally they have yet to form government, although they were the official opposition from 2011–2015 and have arguably been considered to have had a shot at winning in several elections (1988, 2011 and 2015). Provincially, their affiliates have governed in a majority of provinces (6), forming lengthy dynasties in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Canada’s much loved system of public health insurance got its start in Saskatchewan under Premier Tommy Douglas. Today the NDP governs in British Columbia and is the official opposition in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.Federally, Saskatchewan used to be a bastion of NDP support but that came to an end in 1993. Quebec was briefly a federal NDP fortress from 2011–2015, but isn’t anymore (in 2019 they retained 1 seat and came within a hair of keeping several others). Federal NDP support is the strongest along British Columbia’s “Left Coast” (Vancouver, Vancouver Island and coastal northern BC) and Northern Ontario, but there are other smaller pockets where the federal Party is typically competitive (Hamilton, Windsor, Regina, Edmonton, Halifax, St Johns, northern Manitoba, etc.).Although they haven’t formed government yet at the federal level, they have been extremely influential over several Liberal minority governments (pushing the centrist Liberals leftwards). Canada’s federal healthcare system, student loans, federal subsidised housing, the national flag and equal marriage rights have come out of Liberal-NDP cooperation.Canada’s most annoying party, imho.The Bloc Quebecois was formed in 1991 by renegade members of the Progressive Conservative and Liberal parties who were disenchanted with federalism. It was supposed to disband after the 1995 independence referendum, but Quebec voted Non so they just sorta stuck around. Officially they are social democrats, similar to the NDP, but since they oppose any and all federal social programmes they play more of an obstructionist role than anything else.The Bloc is first and foremost a separatist (sovereigntist) party dedicated to the break-up of Canada, a goal they cannot pursue in the federal Parliament. They are also nationalists who often play on identity politics (religious symbols bans, fear-mongering asylum seekers, that sort of thing). They’ve cobbled together a curious coalition of progressive and conservative voters. They dominated Quebec at the federal level from 1993 until 2011, benefiting from regional concentration, but in 2011 they virtually collapsed (49 seats down to 4) at the hands of the NDP’s Orange Crush (but then Jack Layton died and the NDP lost Quebec). They went through several incompetent and unpopular leaders between 2011 and 2019 and at one point had only two members left in their caucus.However, alas they gained a decent spokesperson in the form of Yves-Francois Blanchet (a former news personality) and were able to align themselves with the popularity of conservative Premier Francois Legault and his religious symbols ban. They also benefited from Conservative and NDP difficulties in Quebec, becoming the main alternative to the Liberals. With 32 seats they are now the 3rd largest party in the House (although the NDP got nearly twice as many votes). Will this comeback last or fizzle? Who knows…They could almost call themselves the Elizabeth May party, which doesn’t bode well as she won’t be leading them into the next election.As the name would suggest, they’re environmentalists who care about climate change. The Canadian Greens aren’t as left-leaning as green parties in many European countries, Australia, NZ or even the United States. They could best be placed in the Centre, sometimes a bit right-leaning, sometimes left-leaning (a bit like the Liberals).Formed in 1982 by environmental activists, they were more or less a fringe party with zero support until the early 2000s. Under former Progressive Conservative staffer Jim Harris they began attracting a somewhat noticeable share of the vote and registered in opinion polling (4.3% of the vote in 2004). He moved the Greens to the centre-right, advocating a Green Tax Shift of lower corporate and income taxes with higher consumption taxes.Harris was replaced by Elizabeth May after the 2006 election, who more or less maintained the same ideological position until tacking somewhat leftwards during the early 2010s (probably hoping to scoop up NDP votes in BC). Green platforms are sometimes a grab bag of Left and Right (they claim to be beyond the spectrum, which nobody really is). They had an opening at the beginning of the 2019 campaign as the NDP was faltering, but Elizabeth May blew it by giving muffled and confusing stances on abortion and national unity. This shouldn’t be surprising for a Party with only 3 seats, but a lack of professionalism seems to be their greatest enemy at times.Provincially green parties tend to be more right-leaning, for example in BC where the NDP governs via agreement with the Greens, the BC Greens have opposed NDP proposals to combat housing speculation and expand labour rights. Provincial green parties have representation in British Columbia (3 seats), Ontario (1 seat), New Brunswick (3 seats) and Prince Edward Island (where they catapulted to 8 seats and official opposition status in 2019). Federally, they’re mostly a BC party albeit they picked up a surprise win in New Brunswick during the 2019 election.Fringe parties:Wexit Canada - “Western Canadian,” Albertan separatists with ties to the Far Right and white supremacyThe People’s Party of Canada - a right-wing, “populist,” nationalist, economic libertarian party formed via the temper-tantrum of failed leadership candidate Maxime Bernier.Communist Party of Canada - Canada’s second oldest party, formed in a Guelph barn in 1921. They had one federal MP from 1945–1948 (Fred Rose) and several provincial representatives in Ontario and Manitoba. They called themselves the Labour-Progressive Party during the period they were banned (1939–1959). Basically a secular cult.Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) - Maoists who really hate the revisionist, pro-USSR Communist Party of Canada. The CPC-ML has to call themselves the “Marxist-Leninist Party” on the ballot to avoid confusing voters.Christian Heritage Party - ever read or watch The Handmaid’s Tale? They did too and for them it was utopia rather than dystopia.Libertarian Party - they really hate seatbelt laws and smoking bans, and think our healthcare system and taxes are “oppression”. Some blather about wanting married gay couples to protect their pot fields with assault rifles..Animal Protection Party of Canada - “meat is murder,” etc, etc.Canadian Nationalist Party - Nazi scumMarijuana Party - vaguely left-leaning, or maybe libertarian, who cares? They supported cannabis legalisation and for some reason still exist now that it’s legal.National Citizens Alliance - Nazi scumParti Patriote - Écume nazieDead parties -Social Credit Party of Canada - conservative evangelicals who wanted the government to mail everyone special money and were against public healthcare. They governed in Alberta and BC for decades without introducing their weird fiscal policies.Ralliement de Creditistes - Quebec Social Credit, similar to above but French Canadian and Catholic - they broke from federal Social Credit after their preferred leader (Réal Caouette) failed to win that party’s leadership (after the federal Socreds collapsed in Western Canada, the Quebec wing simply swallowed the remnants).Progressive Party of Canada/United Farmers - progressive farmer populists who wanted free trade, nationalised mines, to break up monopolies and create social programmes. Governed in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Could never really figure out what they were about, part of them (Ginger Group) precursor to the CCF/NDP.Bloc populaire - Quebec nationalists who opposed conscription during WWII, precursor to the Bloc Quebecois in some ways.Reform Party of Canada/Canadian Alliance - Alberta-centric, hard Right conservativesCooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) - Precursor to the NDP, governed Saskatchewan from 1944–1961, party of MedicareProgressive Conservative Party (also called the Liberal-Conservative Party, Conservative Party, National Liberal and Conservative Party and Unionist Party at different points) - party of Sir John A Macdonald, primary alternative to Liberals until 1993, eaten by the Canadian Alliance in 2004.