BEYOND THE LIBERAL PARTY: IMMIGRANT VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN CANADA

Immigrant voters in Canada are generally regarded as preferring the Liberal party above all others. Why this is the case has not yet been adequately determined. Canadian Election Study data from 2000, 2004 and 2006 are combined in order to assess more carefully the factors that drive voting among immigrants. Findings suggest that although immigrants overall tend to vote more Liberal than Canadian-born voters, the pattern is less predictable when immigrant voters are examined according to country of origin. Whereas immigrants from some parts of the world (i.e., non-Europeans) show higher levels of support for the Liberals, immigrants from other parts of the world (e.g., Britain, Northern Europe) are more likely to prefer the Conservatives. This is explained by looking at other mediating factors related to socialization and attitudes. In particular, immigrants who are more likely to vote Liberal generally exhibit lower levels of political knowledge, and are more favourable of policies that would assist racial minorities and provide more foreign aid to developing countries. In other words, immigrants who are more intricately socialized within Canada’s mainstream society are less likely to regard the Liberal party as a default option and more likely to consider other parties