Wow those canadian democrats certainly seem more fit to run their country than the candidates running in this country.
{LOL} The similarities between the two are in name only. The NDP or New Democratic party is far left.
Their leader Jack Layton is a political grandstander and attention whore. This guy is so far left, he lost the endorsement of the CAW - The Canadian Auto Workers Union.
In Canada, we have a multiparty system, and our leadership race is pretty much between 5 candidates.
The Conservatives - Right Wing - Leader Stephen Harper
The Liberal Party of Canada - Center - Leader Stéphane Dion
The New Democrat Party - Left Wing - Leader Jack Layton
The Green Party - Environmental Focus - Leader Elizabeth May
The Bloc Quebecois - The Quebec Separatist Party (fielding candidates only in Quebec) - Leader Gilles DuCeppe
Then you have your various fringe parties ...communist party, etc., etc., etc.
At one point both Jack Layton & Stephen Harper vowed to boycott the Leadership debate if Elizabeth May was allowed to participate. Liberal Leader Stephane Dion stood his ground and demanded she be allowed in the debate and essentially told Layton & Harper he will miss them at the debate. Layton & Harper both blinked, and all 5 participated. Alot of people didn't watch though, ...it was televised the same time at the Vice Presidential Biden Palin debates.