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Introduction
Political parties emerged as solutions to a key dilemma in modern democracy: the necessity of forging social unity through controlled conflict (Sartori, 1976: 21). The question of how best to balance these forces forms a key debate among party scholars and leaders. According to some, the main task of parties is to emphasize the former, fostering consensus by "brokering" conflict within their organizations. To others, the party's proper role lies in providing "responsible," principled competition between distinct visions for the future. Whether through compromise or contention, each model establishes its own path to social harmony (Clarke et al., 1996: 1-25; Sorauf, 1964: 116-134).
The "textbook" account of Canadian politics conforms primarily to the brokerage model, with the Liberals and Conservatives depicted as catch-all organizations, competing with each other for the same voters and offering very similar platforms and slates of candidates (Sniderman et al., 1974). Among other effects, this lack of choice is said to prompt disenchantment and disengagement in the electorate, leading to lower rates of voter turnout (Clarke et al., 1996).
While offering valuable normative insight into the nature of Canadian democracy, rarely has the brokerage model been defined and tested empirically from the perspective of party behaviour (Lovink, 1973). Instead, conclusions have been based largely on the perceptions of party politics, whether in the minds of voters, journalists, academics or other opinion leaders. This is especially true at the provincial level, where the nature of party competition remains largely under-studied (Dunn, 2001). As a case study in Manitoba party politics, the following article challenges such popular conceptions by examining provincial politics from the perspective of the parties themselves.
The analysis begins with a discussion of the theoretical underpinnings of the brokerage and responsible party models, outlining their core differences and providing operational definitions for empirical testing. A methodology section then details how party platforms and a survey of candidates' attitudes provide useful tools in assessing the "supply side" of party competition (Damore, 2004). Next, the study turns to an examination of the 2003 Manitoba provincial election in which the three major parties engaged in a more responsible political debate than observers generally assume. A concluding discussion questions prevalent criticisms of political parties in Manitoba and...