I live in a town of 15,000. We vote for six councilers. Each election about 10 to 15 people for the job. I usually know 2 or 3 well enough that I can cast a vote towards. Sometimes I know someone who should not be on council. Then I fill up my six votes around that person.

The local newspaper reports on decisions of the town council. Councilors align one way on this issue and a different way on another issue. They don't vote as a party.

My hypothesis is that political parties are the invention of ambitious individuals who realize that banding together brings better electoral success than by being independent candidates. So the only way to win elections is with a political party.

But this is just a mindset. The political scientists also cannot imagine life without a political party, yet are flummoxed that a city like Toronto can function without parties. There is a slight pressure for the municipalities to adopt the party structure. But no pressure for the provinces and nation to go party-less.

The political party is an artificial construct. We don't even understand why we keep using it.