The creation of new parties has also transformed the political party system from a pan-Canadian system of representation to a regional one. This is best exemplified by the results of the 1993 and 1997 elections where it was evident that no party could declare that it was national, instead each party had a regional stronghold. For example, many Quebecois have opted for regional representation through the Bloc Quebecois while many Westerners chose the former Reform party to represent their interests. The results of the 1993 federal election have been referred to as a ?critical realignment?. This realignment occurs when blocs of voters supporting the major parties are reshuffled and the issues dominating political debates are radically altered.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 3983
Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page double spaced)