The
Constitution Act (British Columbia)
provides a definition of a party as ‘…an
affiliation of electors comprised in a political organization whose
prime purpose is the fielding of candidates for election to the
legislative
assembly
…’ (section
1). For a party’s name to appear on the
ballot paper
at an election for the
legislative assembly, and for a party to gain tax and other
financial benefits, the party must be registered under the
Election Act (British Columbia)
(Part 9).
Parties as we know them today first contested provincial elections
in British Columbia in 1903. Before that date,
government majorities were maintained by loose groups of members of
the legislature united by a general stance on public policy, by
loyalty to a particular leader, or by the hope of
advancement. The label
‘ministerialist’ is often given to
governments which operated in such a system. See also
caucus
;
party discipline
;
party leader
;
independent
.
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