Funny that you have so many nationalist parties, 'cause Canada is dealing with the same. Quebec wants out (they have for many hundreds of years, I suppose). Now some loonies in the West (which is where I come from) want out, and everyone else - including most westerners, I think - well, we all think they're completely delusional. Honestly, I don't imagine what they'd expect to gain from being independent. More dependence on the almighty US economy, and less ability to protect our own culture from our domineering neighbours - doesn't sound like an appealing option to me!

how well the "silly" parties do

Here we have silly parties but I don't honestly remember the names. The Marijuana Party wants to legalize pot in Canada, and that seems to be their only mandate. I'd heard previously that the Natural Law Party used to advocate yogic flying as a way to...something...but a quick look at their web page shows no mention of that. I had a friend who ran for the Communist party in the last federal election, and he got 137 votes. Interesting!

How about the Rhinoceros Party? Their slogan: "Putting the party back in political party". http://www.rhinoparty.ca

Our Prime Minister (Jean Chretien) once tried to strangle a protester who got too close. Lots of complaints about that one, of course. It's a recurring theme on the political satire shows. Right up there with the break-in to his house, where his wife threatened the intruder with an Inuit statue.