you go to one of these conventions, and you think you're at a convention for a party that's a member of the socialist international; they're not "progressive" in the farmers-rights sense, they're often flat out socialist.

but, then you realize that the liberal party of canada is a member of the socialist international, and has historically been this country's worker's party, not the ndp. yet, they're also the bankers party - and the bankers tend to win, and direct policy. it's very weird.

it's a "natural governing party" in a very real sense.