From the concentration of legislative power in two provinces, flows the concentration of all rewards, favours, appointment patronage and naturally concentration of media focus. A forest fire or flood in Ontario is national news. In patronage, we have appointments to the federal courts, federal boards, commissions, ambassadorships, and all manner of tribunals from human rights to transport safety boards. The people who desire money and power know this, and are controlled by such considerations in either the Liberal or Conservative parties. No regional party, without hope of forming a government can offer these reward with any hope of success.
More people are in politics for purely selfish reasons than most people realize.
The small regional parties cannot discipline their members by offering or threatening to withhold such patronage and hence have endless internal dissension. The major media of Canada are silent partners in this conspiracy. A disastrous flood of epic proportions was not a reason of enough importance to delay a general election if it occurred in Manitoba, but a flood of similar magnitude in Ontario would inevitably have resulted in a six-month delay when it was clear the election was not necessary or specifically required by law. The political reality has never changed. They think they represent the enlightened among us, as their personal futures are secured by some post of appointment or they become Members of Parliament from the West in Ontario.