The Proper Role of Government
It is impossible to understand the role and purpose of government and other social institutions without first appreciating the purpose of life.
If, as the Church believes, the purpose of life is for each soul to search for and find the truth which is God, and to seek to grow closer to God, and to ensure that all other souls are encouraged and enabled to find their own ways to God, it follows that the proper role of government is to provide, with the support of the Church and other moral, educational, and economic institutions, a legal and economic framework in which the common good can flourish, in order that the people may accomplish their mission, that is, so that the people may use the freedom God has given them to seek the truth and thereby return to Him.
An authentic democracy is not merely the result of a formal observation of a set of rules but is the fruit of a convinced acceptance of the values that inspire democratic procedures: the dignity of every human person, the respect of human rights, commitment to the common good as the purpose and guiding criterion for political life. If there is no general consensus on these values, the deepest meaning of democracy is lost and its stability is compromised.
The Church’s social doctrine sees ethical relativism, which maintains that there are no objective or universal criteria for establishing the foundations of a correct hierarchy of values, as one of the greatest threats to modern-day democracies. – 407, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Responsibilities of the State include:
– ensuring that all individuals are enabled to achieve their full potential, by maintaining a framework capable of providing all the material, moral, and spiritual goods necessary for the common good
– harmonizing the different interests of sectors of society with the requirements of justice, including particularly the reconciliation of private ownership of goods with the common good
– ordering society not only in accordance with the desires of the majority, but the effective good of all the members of the community, including minorities
– 168, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Stewardship of Office
Public administration at any level — national, regional, community — is to be oriented towards the service of citizens, serving as steward of the people’s resources, which it must administer with a view to the common good.
Tax revenues and public spending take on crucial economic importance for every civil and political community. The goal to be sought is public financing that is itself capable of becoming an instrument of development and solidarity. Just, efficient and effective public financing will have very positive effects on the economy, because it will encourage employment growth and sustain business and non-profit activities and help to increase the credibility of the State as the guarantor of systems of social insurance and protection that are designed above all to protect the weakest members of society.
Public spending is directed to the common good when certain fundamental principles are observed: the payment of taxes as part of the duty of solidarity; a reasonable and fair application of taxes; precision and integrity in administering and distributing public resources.
In the redistribution of resources, public spending must observe the principles of solidarity, equality and making use of talents. It must also pay greater attention to families, designating an adequate amount of resources for this purpose. In the democratic system, political authority is accountable to the people. 355, 408, 412, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Democratic Reform
Representative bodies must be subjected to effective social control. This control can be carried out above all in free elections which allow the selection and change of representatives. The obligation on the part of those elected to give an accounting of their work — which is guaranteed by respecting electoral terms — is a constitutive element of democratic representation.
Among the deformities of the democratic system, political corruption is one of the most serious. If there is no ultimate truth to guide and direct political action, then ideas and convictions can easily be manipulated for reasons of power. A democracy without values easily turns into totalitarianism. – 406-412, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Cooperation and respect between parties
Political parties have the task of fostering widespread participation and making public responsibilities accessible to all. Political parties are called to interpret the aspirations of civil society, orienting them towards the common good… An authentic democracy is not merely the result of a formal observation of a set of rules but is the fruit of a convinced acceptance of the values that inspire democratic procedures: the dignity of every human person, the respect of human rights, commitment to the common good as the purpose and guiding criterion for political life. If there is no general consensus on these values, the deepest meaning of democracy is lost and its stability is compromised. – 407, 413, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Peace & International relations
Because of the new bonds of interdependence among global operators, the traditional defensive measures of States appear to be destined to failure…
The centrality of the human person and the natural inclination of persons and peoples to establish relationships among themselves are the fundamental elements for building a true international community, the ordering of which must aim at guaranteeing the effective universal common good… [T]he unity of the human family is not yet becoming a reality. This is due to obstacles originating in materialistic and nationalistic ideologies that contradict the values of the person integrally considered in all his various dimensions, material and spiritual, individual and community. In particular, any theory or form whatsoever of racism and racial discrimination is morally unacceptable. The coexistence among nations is based on the same values that should guide relations among human beings: truth, justice, active solidarity and freedom…. – 370, 433, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Global care for the environment
Responsibility for the environment should also find adequate expression on a juridical level. It is important that the international community draw up uniform rules that will allow States to exercise more effective control over the various activities that have negative effects on the environment and to protect ecosystems by preventing the risk of accidents… They must be accompanied by a growing sense of responsibility as well as an effective change of mentality and lifestyle. -467, 468 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Peacekeeping & Embargoes
States do not always possess adequate means to provide effectively for their own defence. From this derives the need and importance of international and regional organizations, which should be in a position to work together to resolve conflicts and promote peace, re-establishing relationships of mutual trust that make recourse to war unthinkable.
The purpose of sanctions must be clearly defined and the measures adopted must from time to time be objectively evaluated by the competent bodies of the international community as to their effectiveness and their real impact on the civilian population. The true objective of such measures is open to the way to negotiation and dialogue. Sanctions must never be used as a means for the direct punishment of an entire population. Economic sanctions in particular are an instrument to be used with great discernment and must be subjected to strict legal and ethical criteria. An economic embargo must be of limited duration and cannot be justified when the resulting effects are indiscriminate. – 499-507 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Displaced Persons & Humanitarian Aid
A particular category of war victim is formed by refugees, forced by combat to flee the places where they habitually live and to seek refuge in foreign countries. The Church is close to them not only with her pastoral presence and material support, but also with her commitment to defend their human dignity: Concern for refugees must lead us to reaffirm and highlight universally recognized human rights, and to ask that the effective recognition of these rights be guaranteed to refugees.”
It is therefore essential to seek out the causes underlying bellicose conflicts, especially those connected with structural situations of injustice, poverty and exploitation, which require intervention so that they may be removed. For this reason, another name for peace is development. Just as there is a collective responsibility for avoiding war, so too there is a collective responsibility for promoting development. – 158, 498, 515, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Finance
…in the presence of new areas of competition, the very notion of a national market recedes into the background. If the creation of what is called the “global capital market” has brought benefits… on the other hand it has also increased the risk of financial crises. The financial sector, which has seen the volume of financial transactions far surpass that of real transactions, runs the risk of developing according to a mentality that has only itself as a point of reference, without being connected to the real foundations of the economy.
The more the worldwide economic-financial system reaches high levels of organizational and functional complexity, all the more priority must be given to the task of regulating these processes, directing them towards the goal of attaining the common good of the human family. 368-371 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Trade
The Church has time and again called attention to aberrations in the system of international trade, which often, owing to protectionist policies, discriminates against products coming from poorer countries and hinders the growth of industrial activity in and the transfer of technology to these countries.
The continuing deterioration in terms of the exchange of raw materials and the widening of the gap between rich and poor countries has prompted the Church to point out the importance of ethical criteria that should form the basis of international economic relations: the pursuit of the common good and the universal destination of goods; equity in trade relationships; and attention to the rights and needs of the poor in policies concerning trade and international cooperation.
Economic and social imbalances in the world of work must be addressed by restoring a just hierarchy of values and placing the human dignity of workers before all else. – 370, 321, 364 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Disarmament
The Church’s social teaching proposes the goal of “general, balanced and controlled disarmament”. The enormous increase in arms represents a grave threat to stability and peace. The principle of sufficiency, by virtue of which each State may possess only the means necessary for its legitimate defence, must be applied both by States that buy arms and by those that produce and furnish them. Any excessive stockpiling or indiscriminate trading in arms cannot be morally justified.
The doctrine of deterrence gives rise to strong moral reservations. The arms race does not ensure peace. The principle of the non-proliferation of nuclear arms, together with measures of nuclear disarmament and the prohibition of nuclear tests, are intimately interconnected objectives that must be met as soon as possible by means of effective controls at the international level. – 508, 509 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Arms Sales
War is a scourge and is never an appropriate way to resolve problems that arise between nations. Appropriate measures are needed to control the production, sale, importation and exportation of small arms and light weapons, armaments that facilitate many outbreaks of violence to occur. The sale and trafficking of such weapons constitute a serious threat to peace: these arms kill and are used for the most part in internal and regional conflicts; their ready availability increases both the risk of new conflicts and the intensity of those already underway. The position of States that apply severe controls on the international transfer of heavy arms while they never, or only very rarely, restrict the sale and trafficking of small arms and light weapons is an unacceptable contradiction. – 497, 511 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
National Defense & Security
The requirements of legitimate defence justify the existence in States of armed forces, the activity of which should be at the service of peace. Those who defend the security and freedom of a country, in such a spirit, make an authentic contribution to peace.
Everyone who serves in the armed forces is concretely called to defend good, truth and justice in the world. Many are those who, in such circumstances, have sacrificed their lives for these values and in defence of innocent lives. Very significant in this regard is the increasing number of military personnel serving in multinational forces on humanitarian or peace-keeping missions promoted by the United Nations.
A war of aggression is intrinsically immoral. In the tragic case where such a war breaks out, leaders of the State that has been attacked have the right and the duty to organize a defence even using the force of arms. If this responsibility justifies the possession of sufficient means to exercise this right to defence, States still have the obligation to do everything possible to ensure that the conditions of peace exist, not only within their own territory but throughout the world. -500-502 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
In order to protect the common good, the lawful public authority must exercise the right and the duty to inflict punishments according to the seriousness of the crimes committed. The State has the twofold responsibility to discourage behaviour that is harmful to human rights and the fundamental norms of civil life, and to repair, through the penal system, the disorder created by criminal activity…
Punishment does not serve merely the purpose of defending the public order and guaranteeing the safety of persons; it becomes as well an instrument for the correction of the offender. There is a twofold purpose here. On the one hand, encouraging the reinsertion of the condemned person into society; on the other, fostering a justice that reconciles, a justice capable of restoring harmony in social relationships disrupted by the criminal act committed. – 402 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
The Role of Government
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on the role of government in the context of the meaning or purpose of life. The Bloc states that its fundamental values include hospitality, sharing and equality, values that make Quebec a land of opportunity for those who live in Quebec, and those who will come to live there
Stewardship & Reform
The Bloc advocates abolishment of the office of Governor General. The nomination of a person who does not speak French to this position is indicative of the loss of influence of the French language in Canada as well as the lack of credibility the federal government’s desire to protect and promote French
Taxation & Budget
The Bloc states that:
– everyone must do their fair share in Quebec, including big business and the wealthy
– it will continue its efforts to put an end to corporate tax avoidance in tax havens, which is currently sanctioned by the federal government
– while public finances recorded colossal deficits during the pandemic, the wealthiest individuals became even richer
– it proposes creation of a special additional tax on large fortunes
– legislation to entrust Quebec with administration of a single tax return, thereby saving households and businesses money while ending administrative duplication, and giving Quebec additional powers to act against the use of tax havens
Ethics & Accountability
The Bloc states that:
– it has little tolerance for those who have the arrogance to assume that the rules don’t apply to them, and who believe they are entitled to special treatment
– elected representatives are expected to demonstrate exemplary probity, but that doesn’t always happen
– the practice of financing major parties through $1,500 private parties, with privileged access to decision-makers, is still rife at the federal level
– even judicial appointments appear to be given disproportionately to donors and relatives of those in charge
– it alone among federal political parties accepted no money from the pandemic wage subsidies, which were intended for businesses and community organizations, not for bolstering the electoral coffers of politicians
To address accountability and ethics issues, the Bloc advocates:
– giving teeth and punitive power to the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner
– introducing a bill to reinstate public financing of political parties, to eliminate any impression or possibility of cronyism
– continued work toward impartial judicial appointment process
Democratic Reform
The Bloc advocates:
– restoration of public funding of political parties with a limit for individuals of $500, and eliminating corporate contributions
– establishing a higher reimbursement for political parties which elect a number of women corresponding to a parity criteria in order to promote the participation of women in politics.
Provinces, Territories, Municipalities
The Bloc states that:
– Quebec has recently made important societal choices aimed at reaffirming the secular nature of the Quebec state and promoting and protecting the French language
– it will force the federal Parliament to respect decisions that do not concern it; demand that no public money be invested in court challenges to Quebec laws; and reiterate that the Court Challenges Program of Canada must be entrusted to an organization other than the University of Ottawa, whose anti-Quebec institutional bias has been publicly demonstrated
– it will support Quebec’s right of self-determination of the nation by demanding the repeal of the Referendum Clarity Act
– in order to allow Quebec to direct tax money collected within the province fairly, it will resubmit a bill ensuring Quebec an automatic right of compensation with full compensation when Ottawa creates federal programs in fields of exclusive jurisdiction within Quebec, or seeks to attach conditions to such money transfers.
Quebec Development
The Bloc states that it supports economic development in every region of Quebec. To that end, the Bloc advocates:
– support for a Quebec alternative to Air Canada outside the major centers and for requiring Air Canada to improve services in the meantime
– upgrading the rail network and increasing VIA Rail services
– demanding that Ottawa move ahead with the long-promised high-frequency train project
– decentralization of the federal public service with dispersal to regions, including Quebec regions
– to facilitate regional employment, tax credits for graduates and immigrants who choose to settle outside the major centers
– making the telework tax deduction introduced during the pandemic permanent
– regionalizing regional development programs by decentralizing Canada Economic Development and entrusting it with the responsibility of developing and implementing new programs
– distributing centralized control of funds to enable regions to manage their priorities autonomously
Peace & International Relations
The Block states that:
– Quebec’s official policy on international relations is the Gérin-Lajoie doctrine, which states that everything that falls within Québec’s jurisdiction on its territory comes under Quebec’s jurisdiction worldwide
– it will demand that Quebec be enabled to conduct all its own international relations, including treaty-making, within its areas of jurisdiction. To that end, it proposes an international representation process similar to the Belgian model, whereby Canada would have to obtain Quebec’s consent before taking a position on an issue within its jurisdiction, such as UNESCO
– it will demand that Canada stop selling any military equipment to Saudi Arabia, since it is now known that the Saudi regime uses it against the civilian population, particularly in Yemen
Foreign Trade
The Bloc states that:
– the Quebec economy is open to the world and t o foreign investment
– however, when a foreign multinational takes over a local company, Quebec loses a decision-making lever, as well as a pool of expertise and good jobs
– Québec’s economic destiny cannot, and must not, be entirely at the mercy of decisions made abroad, particularly in our strategic and competitive sectors. our high-tech sectors
– the pandemic revealed the importance of preserving local companies and production capacity
The Bloc advocates economic nationalism in a perspective of resilience and autonomy, to ensure the maintenance and development of Quebec businesses, including:
– tightening controls on foreign investment to better protect the flagships of the Quebec economy against takeovers
– definitively abandoning plans to concentrate supervision of the financial sector in in Toronto, which is essential to maintaining Montreal’s financial position and preservation of the head offices that depend on it
– developing a procurement policy that favors SMEs and takes into account the environmental impacts of government purchases
– developing an industrial strategy that fosters a degree of self-sufficiency in essential and strategic areas
Trade with the United States
The Bloc states that:
– economic ties between Quebec, Canada and the United States form Quebec’s closest trade, border and diplomatic relations, integrating the three economies
– the economic stimulus plan presented by US President offers interesting opportunities for our exporting companies, but the tightening of the provisions of the “Buy American” Act could hinder Quebec ambitions
– it will expect the federal government to negotiate an exemption for Canadian companies in the field of green energy and low-carbon technologies
– the federal government must also stand up to the U.S. in any trade dispute involving Quebec agriculture, lumber, aluminum or any other undue burden on the Quebec economy
National Defense & Veterans
The Bloc states that:
– in addition to a growing backlog of veterans’ claims, Francophones are systematically disadvantaged and must wait two to three years longer for benefits than English speakers. For example, the Veterans Ombudsman determined that the median treatment time for Francophones was 52 weeks, compared with 19 weeks for Anglophones
– to address this issue, it proposes that the Parliamentary Budget Officer’s recommendations to hire sufficient staff to clear the backlog and ensure that French-speaking veterans receive their benefits be implemented as quickly as possible.
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
Domestic Violence
The Bloc states that:
– it deplores and denounces violence against women, domestic violence and feminicide, which were sadly and unacceptably on the rise during the pandemic
– it will propose more appropriate and harsher penalties for crimes related to domestic violence, and will include this type of crime as an aggravating factor in the Criminal Code, also amending the Young Offenders Act
– it will propose a commission of inquiry into the prevention, legislative framework and coercion of domestic violence described as “honor killings”
– it will demand that the federal government contribute financially to the Quebec government’s efforts to prevent violence, particularly with regard to the study on setting up a specialized court for sexual crimes and domestic violence
Firearms Control
The Bloc states that the proliferation of firearms must be contained, with due respect for hunters and sportsmen, whose legitimate activities require safety, storage and transportation rules.
To that end, it proposes:
– demanding greater control over the circulation of illegal weapons and weapons parts across borders
– demanding that the Assault Weapons Buyback Program be mandatory, as otherwise it becomes useless, and amending the laws to define what constitutes an assault weapon, rather than banning models on a case-by-case basis
– in order to properly control handguns, it proposes that the federal government transfer all responsibility and associated funding to Quebec, in order to avoid overwhelming municipalities
The Role of Government
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on the role of government in the context of the meaning and purpose of life.
Democratic Reform
The party advocates:
– ending tax-supported payments to political parties as campaign funds, or fair distribution among all parties
– ensuring that all political parties are included in debates and tax-funded media publications
– a referendum to allow taxpayers to change to the first-past-the-post system
– allowing only Canadian citizens to vote or hold office
Judicial Activism
The party states that:
– in the constitutional division of powers, courts and judges were NOT given the authority to write laws, only to apply and enforce the law AS IT IS WRITTEN
– the courts have usurped the authority of Parliament and provincial legislatures; judicial activism has resulted in abortion-on-demand, same-sex marriage and assisted suicide
– the courts have misused their power to limit free speech, a Charter Right which they should be protecting
– it would use Section 33 of the Charter (the Notwithstanding Clause) to protect freedom of speech and Canada’s moral foundations
Senate
The party states that the Senate was originally created to be a chamber of “sober second thought”, not a partisan rubber-stamp for the government in power.
The party advocates:
– election of Senators by the provinces in which they reside
– for better representation of the provinces, allocation of an equal number of Senators to each province, rather than to “regions”
Role of Media
The party states that:
– most major media in Canada—including state-funded CBC—are biased against a Christian worldview and policies
– the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation receives over $1.5 billion directly from the government annually
– the current government has given $595 million in subsidies directed only to those media outlets which support his policies, further influencing public opinion against a Christian worldview
– it CHP would defund or privatize CBC and would confront the issue of unfair media bias
Stewardship & Reform
Taxation & Budget
The party states that:
– Canada currently borrows operating and investment capital from other nations and from international bankers and pays interest on the debt incurred—around $70 million every single day
– it would restore the Bank of Canada to its proper function of creating and providing Canada’s money supply and low-interest or interest-free loans to Provinces, crown corporations and municipalities for urgently needed infrastructure
– current governments, through incorrect use of the Bank of Canada, have created a blight over the futures of our children as they will be forced to repay the debt plus interest
– the national debt is over $690 billion, and is funded by borrowing at a cost of approximately $70 million per day in interest
– although governments must use some form of taxation to generate revenues to cover the cost of basic services, the income Tax, and especially the Progressive Income Tax, is unfair. As private property, earnings should not be taken, and the government should not take what workers earn and it should not take a bigger share when individuals work harder
The party advocates:
– paying off the national debt and introducing mandatory balancing of the national budget
– replacing the unfair federal income tax with a Fair Tax on purchases; this would be a at rate applied to all purchases of finished products and would leave all citizens with more money to spend, save and invest
Accountability
The party advocates:
– opening all government expenditures to public scrutiny
– public listing of all government salaries over $100,000 should be listed for the public
– public recall mechanism for all politicians and high-level bureaucrats, for crimes in office
Peace & International Relations
The party states that Canada is recognized as a world leader, and must act responsibly to maintain that reputation.
The party advocates:
– Canadian leadership in good things: clean water, energy and justice, NOT abortion, gender confusion and debt
– defending freedom around the world, beginning at home
– Canada must stand firmly against terrorism at home and abroad.
– Canadians who participate in terrorism must not be allowed to return to Canada OR they must face criminal terrorist charges. They must not be allowed to become public martyrs for their cause
– the $10 million award to Omar Khadr was an insult to our soldiers, our allies and all Canadian taxpayers.
Middle East
The party states that:
– radical Islam has proven to be a threat to Western democracy
– Sharia Law is incompatible with Canada’s culture and heritage and with Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The party rejects Islamic cultural practices such as “honour-killings”, Female Genital Mutilation, forced marriages, forced conversion and inhumane animal slaughter (Halal slaughter)
Israel
The party states that:
– Israel occupies a unique place in history and in current world affairs
– Israel stands alone in the Middle East as a democratic nation, surrounded by hostile nations
– it stands with Israel and supports her right to exist and to defend herself
Displaced Persons & Humanitarian Aid
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on displaced persons or humanitarian aid.
International Finance
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on International finance.
Foreign Trade & Tariffs
The party states that
– tariffs are taxes imposed on imported commodities or products, usually intended to protect domestic producers from unfair foreign competition
– unless bound by contracts, treaties and trade agreements which they have voluntarily signed, all nations have the right to restrict imports or to apply tariffs which may have the effect of restricting imports
– for the purpose of mutual growth and cooperative enterprise, allied nations, particularly nations sharing a border, should seek to avoid unnecessary tariffs and trade restrictions between them
– careless or punitive use of tariffs often result in trade wars which may harm producers and should be avoided if possible.
National Defense & Veterans
The party states that:
– Canada must have armed forces capable of defending our borders and national interests
– our armed forces must be properly trained and equipped
– our veterans deserve our gratitude and our duty of care, especially the injured and the families of those we have lost
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
The party states that:
– the Canadian government MUST protect Canadian citizens
– Canadians deserve a justice system designed to protect their lives and property
– all Canadians deserve equal treatment under the law
– justice delayed is justice denied; it is essential that justice be applied as quickly as possible to save costs and to deter wrongdoing
– its justice platform stands on two pillars: Restitution and Public Safety
Firearms
The party states that:
– when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns
– violent crime is the problem, not firearms
The Role of Government
The party’s policies state that the role of government is to:
– protect the lives and property of its citizens
– ensure equality of opportunity
– foster an environment where individuals and private initiative can prosper
– ensure the security of the nation’s borders and of citizens at home and abroad
– provide services that cannot be provided more efficiently or effectively by the private sector
– maintain and enhance national infrastructure
The party further states that its goals are:
– the common good of all Canadians: a society where everyone can fulfill his or her potential
– to release the human spirit and potential of individuals, families and groups
– to nurture, mobilize, and encourage generosity, individual talent, patriotism, and a sense of community; and
– to provide a framework for more sensitive and powerful means of protecting and supporting the deprived and vulnerable
Stewardship & Reform
Taxation & Budget
The party states that spending to protect Canadians during the pandemic was the right thing to do, however unsustainable debt cannot be passed to future generations. Once recovery starts, spending must be brought under control.
The party advocates:
– winding down emergency support programs in responsible ways as vaccines increase and the economy re-opens
– ensuring that stimulus measures are targeted and time-limited in order to avoid structural deficit
– encouraging economic growth to ensure revenue for services is available
Tax Reform
The party states that:
– working and middle-class Canadians, New Canadians, small businesspersons have been hit doubly hard by the COVID crisis, suffering disproportionately, far more than those with greater means
– helping them rebuild and get back on their feet will require that those who have been largely insulated from the economic damage of the pandemic do more
The party advocates:
– ensuring that the burden of getting the economy back on track and delivering essential public services does not fall upon those who have been hurt the most
– providing more funding to the Canada Revenue Agency, increasing to $750 million per year, to fund stronger enforcement of taxation for multinational firms, taxation of large corporations, international taxation, and other tax evasion. This cost will be more than made up for by the increase in compliance, leading to an increase in how much the government collects of what it is owed
Tax Cheats
The party states that:
– the current government recently admitted that their high-net-worth compliance program had failed to prosecute even one person over the last six years
– the Canada Revenue Agency continues to go after small businesses while ignoring those rich enough to pay for expensive lawyers and accountants
– it undertakes to fix this program and ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share
Foreign Multinationals and Big Tech Companies Pay Their Fair Share
The party advocates:
– ensuring that foreign tech companies pay their fair share of taxes, including sales tax and a digital services tax representing 3% of their gross revenue in Canada if they don’t pay corporate income tax here
– working with the US Administration and other international partners to crack down on multinational tax avoiders to ensure they pay their fair share
The party states that it opposes giving up sovereignty over our tax system, and strongly disagrees with the current government’s signing onto a global minimum tax rate at the G-7
Budget Recovery
The party states that:
– while spending to protect Canadians during the pandemic was the right thing to do, we can’t leave unsustainable debt for future generations
– with recovery started, it’s time to wind down emergency support programs responsibly, with targeted and time-limited stimulus measures to avoid a structural deficit
– restoring national finance and government service levels requires getting back to robust economic growth of 3% or more per year, which is the goal of its jobs plan
– the deficit soared to $354 billion in 2020-21, which seems daunting. However, its easier to develop a road back to balance when we consider the three components of the deficit: (i) $30 billion of pre-existing deficit: the amount by which spending exceeds revenues in a “normal” economy growing at 1.6%, (ii) $70 billion from automatic stabilizers: government revenues dropped due to the recession, as companies and individuals saw their income drop and therefore paid less tax. At the same time, government expenses for Employment Insurance and other social support programs increased, and (iii) $250 billion in COVID-19 emergency spending, including $80 billion for CERB and $82.3 billion for the wage subsidy (CEWS), the GST and Canada Child Benefit top-ups, funding for provinces and healthcare and approximately 70 other spending measures
– implementation of the party’s jobs plan will get Canadians back to work, meaning lower unemployment and higher tax revenues for the government. It will also wind down the emergency spending in a responsible way
– its plan for Secure Jobs and Economic Growth will reduce the deficit by almost 90% by repairing the economy. There will be some costs along the way – incentives and other spending to get Canadians back to work, but that spending will be time-limited and designed to kickstart the economy. The highest level of spending will
be in year one, with spending on these stimulus measures winding down over five years. This short-term spending represents most of the cost of our plan and will directly reduce the deficit by reversing the automatic stabilizers
– a crucial part of its plan is a set of new investments in Research & Development, high-speed internet access, and tax measures such as the patent box, which are intended to have long-term benefits to the economy,
– because of the severity of the financial situation faced by Canada, it has limited the significant ongoing spending measures in its plan to a few critical priorities:
* Help for Seniors: Providing ongoing support to seniors to help them stay in their own homes or live with their family members, to deal with the crisis in Long-Term Care
* Help for Working Families: Doubling the Canada Workers Benefit to make work pay and help those most in need
Accountability
The party states that despite passage of the 2006 Federal Accountability Act, scandals have persisted, including abuse of charities law and acceptance of gifts from lobbyists.
To curb corruption, the party advocates:
– toughening the Conflict of Interest Act by expanding monetary penalties to cover all violations of the Act, and increasing the monetary penalties from a maximum of $500 to a maximum of $50,000, with the fine to be proportionate to the severity of the offence and the offender’s history and personal net worth
– amending the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament to prevent Members of Parliament from collecting speaking fees while serving in the House of Commons, since speaking to Canadians is a part of the job
– amending lobbying laws to address loopholes provided originally to avoid undue burdens for organizations that had minimal contacts with government, so that that laws mandate full transparency by requiring all corporations and other organizations that lobby to register and report their meetings, and banning lobbying by individuals or entities on matters which are the subject of a criminal proceedings
– conducting long-overdue reviews of the Lobbying Act and Access to Information Act to ensure that they are up to date and as strong as needed to earn the trust of the people
– to address transparency issues highlighted by the SNC-Lavalin scandal, prohibit application of non-disclosure agreements in circumstances where an individual is disclosing information to a lawful authority or seeking medical assistance or legal advice
– amending the Canada Evidence Act to ensure that Cabinet Confidence can no longer be used to shield government insiders from criminal investigation
– giving the Commissioner of Information the power to make orders to departments to release information promptly, to bring an end the recent practice of endless delays that makes a mockery of the law
– strengthening whistleblower protection through a strong federal legislative framework
– through use of prevailing open standards, mandating that government departments, Crown Corporations, and those receiving public funds publish more data in machine-readable formats
– to prevent foreign interference, requiring individuals and companies acting as agents of designated foreign principals (country, corporation, entity or individual) in a political or quasi-political capacity including lobbying, policy development, advertising, and grassroots mobilization to register, and requiring that registration requires disclosure of amounts of payments, the nature of relationships, and activities performed
The party states advocates:
– putting the country first, by enacting the toughest accountability and transparency laws in Canada’s history
– toughen the Conflict of Interest Act and impose higher penalties
– toughen the Lobbying Act to end abuse by government insiders; and
– increase transparency to end cover-ups
Senate Reform
The party advocates:
If a province chooses to hold Senate elections, appointing the victors as Senators
Provinces, Territories, Municipalities
The party states that it:
– believes that the federal government should work with the provinces as partners instead of dictating to them. As the Alberta Court of Appeal recently opined, “The federal government is not the parent; and the provincial governments are not its children.”
– it is the party of the Constitution, and understands that the division of powers means that the provinces and the federal government are co-equals in their own spheres and that each deserves the latitude to make its own decisions about policy in its own areas of competence, and respect their autonomy in areas of provincial jurisdiction
Quebec
The party states that Quebecers want and deserve a federal government that wants to collaborate with them. To that end, it advocates a new pact based in particular on respect for the Québec nation and the French language, the economic development of our regions and the security of our communities.
In particular, the party advocates:
– building on its historic recognition of the Québec Nation
– remaining open to the development of new administrative agreements with the government of Québec to promote decentralized federalism
– negotiating with the Québec government to simplify tax preparation and work towards a single income tax return for Québec taxpayers while protecting Canada Revenue Agency jobs in the regions
– giving greater autonomy to Québec over immigration, including: revisiting the Canada-Québec Immigration Accord to give more powers to Québec over immigration to ensure that a higher proportion of immigrants settling in Quebec speak French, including in the family reunification category; providing full compensation for the housing of asylum seekers who crossed into Québec illegally at border passages like Roxham Road and Lacolle and enforcing the Safe Third Country Agreement to put an end to such crossings; and giving Québec more input into the assignment of temporary foreign workers to particular regions and their pathways to permanent residency to address critical labour shortages
– respecting the jurisdiction of the Québec National Assembly by neither intervening in nor providing federal funding to support legal challenges to Law 21
– limiting federal spending powers in Quebec’s fields of jurisdiction and ensuring that provinces can opt out of new federal programs and initiatives in the area of health with full, matching compensation
– making annual federal transfers for social programs unencumbered by restrictive conditions and developing a plan for a return to balanced budgets without cutting transfers to the provinces
– respecting the Constitution Act of 1867 by applying a non-intervention approach to internal affairs within Québec’s fields of jurisdiction
– ensuring that Québec will never be under-represented in the House of Commons when new parliamentary ridings are created
– giving Radio-Canada a separate and distinct legal and administrative structure to reflect its distinct mandate of promoting francophone language and culture, including a power of appointment for the province for members of the Board of Directors in addition to ensuring representation of francophone minority communities outside Québec
To support the regions of Quebec, the party advocates:
– building digital infrastructure to connect all of Québec to high-speed internet by 2025, including coordination of federal investments with the program recently announced by the Government of Québec; speeding up the spectrum auction process to get more spectrum into use and apply “use it or lose it” provisions to ensure that spectrum (particularly in rural areas) is actually developed, with auction revenue dedicated to our digital infrastructure plan; and requiring that Huawei equipment not be used, to protect national security
– working in partnership with the Government of Québec in promoting the Saint-Laurent Project, a maritime strategy for Quebec’s economic development comprising the creation of ten innovation zones
– adopt a government purchasing policy on low carbon footprint materials, including low-carbon aluminum
– deploying new autonomous vehicles for Arctic surveillance operations in the air and at sea as part of a new Canadian sovereignty, deterrence, and detection strategy, with Bagotville as the main site to host the Government of Canada’s remotely piloted aircraft
– renewing Canada’s fleet of icebreakers in partnership with the Davie shipyard, and designating Davie as a full partner within the National Shipbuilding Strategy
– providing financial assistance to ensure that smaller regional airports remain open and that routes to remote and rural areas continue to operate
– investing $100m in a specific regional development funding program to support the economic transition of former mining communities
– implementing a Critical Minerals Strategy to take advantage of Canada’s abundant resources of the minerals needed to power our clean energy future, creating jobs, and reduce global reliance on critical minerals from China, including adoption of policies to facilitate the responsible mining of lithium
Western Canada
The party states that:
– Alberta has contributed more than $600 billion to the rest of the country since 1967, and an average of more than $20 billion a year over the last decade. Even as their economy has suffered over the last seven years, Albertans have continued to be net contributors to the national economy
– it is only fair that the rest of Canada be there for Alberta, just as Alberta has always been there for them. Now that Alberta is hurting, Albertans quite reasonably expect the rest of the country, including the federal government, to be there for them financially and help them get a fair price for their energy products on global markets.
To promote fiscal fairness, the party advocates:
– adopting the Equalization and Transfers Fairness Act as a government bill and passing it as quickly as possible
– implementing a unanimously endorsed proposal by provincial premiers to reform the Fiscal Stabilization Program, including by lifting the cap on payments, reducing the revenue reduction thresholds to qualify, and applying the changes retroactively
To support employment in the Western provinces, the party advocates:
– eliminating unfairness in the Impact Assessment process of Bill C-69, basing our changes on the bipartisan recommendations made by the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment, and Natural Resources, seeking an assessment process that upholds best-in-class environmental standards and sets clear expectations and timelines for environmental reviews so that investors have the confidence and certainty they need to commit to major projects in Canada; removing political interference from the review process and setting clear timelines so that investors get a timely yes or no; and not letting critical GHG-reducing projects be held up by red tape and lengthy reviews
– ending the ban on shipment of Canadian Oil on the North Coast of British Columbia by repealing C-48 and improving access to international markets.
– working ith First Nations and other Indigenous groups to ensure they are partners in prosperity and the development of our natural resources by creating a Canadian Indigenous Enterprise Corporation
– implementing a hydrogen energy strategy that rapidly increases the use of hydrogen – especially green hydrogen – in Canada and builds our export capacity
– ensuring adequate pipeline capacity by Getting Trans Mountain built
– making pipelines that bring Canadian oil to export markets a priority
– making increased energy export opportunities a diplomatic priority in dealings with the U.S. Government
– implementing a federal LNG Export Strategy. With much of the world still reliant on coal-generated electricity, the natoin should be boosting exports to grow our economy and contribute to a cleaner world
– introduction of a tax credit to rapidly accelerate the deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage technology in the energy sector and in important industries that have few alternatives to burning fossil fuels, like fertilizer and chemical production
Peace, International Relations
The party states that:
– it will pursue a foreign policy that seeks new and strengthened alliances with democratic allies and economic partners who share our values
– it will face down the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party, standing with the Chinese people and promoting greater freedom for them
– it will aggressively champion human rights, dignity, and transparency
– it will advance the national interests of Canada, with every decision on the world stage prioritizing the security and sovereignty of Canadians; the prosperity of our people and our partners; and the democratic values that define us.
To that end, the party advocates:
– establishing a Canadian National Interest Council to implement national long-term security and economic priorities and grow Canadian strategic and economic influence
– making difficult, delayed decisions including updating the 2017 defence policy to the realities of a disrupted international order, investing in Canadian leadership in the Five Eyes alliance, and strengthening ties with new and traditional allies
– in cooperation with our Five Eyes allies, building Canadian capabilities to contribute to foreign intelligence – focused on closing present gaps in understanding international threats of economic coercion, digital threats, and foreign interference
Arctic
The party states that shifting strategic interests and climate change are transforming issues related to the Arctic
– Russia has expanded its claim over the Canadian North and is building its military presence in the Arctic
– China has developed significant Arctic marine capacity and aims to secure critical mineral interests
The party advocates making capacity building, economic reconciliation, and sovereignty expression core priorities of the political approach to the North, by:
– making significant investments in strengthening our presence, an economic, development plan that will develop our northern resources and the jobs that go with them, and a vision for northern infrastructure that will connect our north to the rest of Canada and the world
– partnering with the US and NATO to prevent Russia and China from dominating our Arctic, and developing our presence in the Arctic, including establishment of a NATO Centre of Excellence for Arctic Operations, conducting Arctic exercises alongside our allies, and securing the Canadian North from the seas to space.
United States
The party states that the indispensable alliance with the United States should be refreshed, and the economic and security partnership updated. It proposes working with the US on critical issues, including North American energy security and energy transition leadership, shared infrastructure on the border and the environmentally responsible pipelines beneath it, and a North American approach to accomplish health security and economic recovery together.
To that end, the party advocates bringing a renewed and visible ambition to the success of a united Canadian-American partnership in the world, including:
– deepening our strategic partnership with the United States in the sovereignty of our northern borders and shores, rising to the challenge posed by Russia and China’s Arctic military and economic ambitions by pursuing a shared agenda of prosperity for the people of the north, environmental stewardship, and peace
– modernizing NORAD to contend with shared threats from the seas to space, advance our shared interests across the Transatlantic alliance, and more closely partner in the world’s strategic competition
– working with the United States to provide leadership across the Americas – promoting our interests and shared values in pandemic management, economic recovery, and resistance to global authoritarians
International Communities
The party states that in order to replace virtue-signalling with an international agenda dedicated to advancing freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, it advocates:
– working with allies to address efforts by China, Russia, Iran, and others actively undermining democratic norms, institutions, and the rule of law
– advancing the idea of an International Corruption Court to prosecute the world’s worst offenders who deny progress and democracy on the backs of the world’s most vulnerable
– passing legislation mandating an Office of Religious Freedom and Conscience to elevate Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and provide advice to Canadian ministers on threats to international security, engage in diplomacy to religious communities, and inform Canadian international development programs to promote freedom, pluralism, religious co-existence, and tolerance
– renewing Canadian diplomacy at the Community of Democracies, establishing priorities that enhance democratic cooperation against rising authoritarians
– build new partners across Eurasia through the historic diplomatic relationship achieved in the Canada-Ismaili Imamat Protocol of Understanding
La Francophonie
The party states that:
– by mid-century, more than 700 million people worldwide will have French as their first language
– as a founding member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Canada can play a leading role there
To that end, the party advocates:
– fostering greater economic cooperation among democratic member countries of the OIF to help it contribute to the realignment of global trade patterns following COVID-19
– facilitating trade and investment between Canadian companies and OIF countries to grow economic ties, particularly between Canada and Africa
Commonwealth
With respect to the Commonwealth, which is an association of 54 countries, most with historic links to the United Kingdom and home to over 2.4 billion citizens over five continents, the party advocates continuing support for the Commonwealth of Learning, which is located in Burnaby, British Columbia and focuses on empowering women and children, and reducing poverty and inequality, by strengthening education in Commonwealth countries to provide affordable education to larger numbers of people using open, distance and technology-based learning
United Nations
The party advocates prioritizing Canadian interests and values at the United Nations, not pandering to the priorities of dictators and despots, including:
– opposing the world’s dictators, advocating for the most marginalized, and being a powerful voice for universal values
– mandating an audit of all Canadian positions in multilateral institutions, clearly assessing the national interests of Canada
– working with the US and other international allies to efforts to turn the International Criminal Court into a political body
– pursuing reform of the UN Human Rights Council to prohibit gross human rights abusers from becoming members, engaging regular emergency sessions to address human rights crises worldwide, and stopping the Council from unjustly singling out Israel
International Human Rights
The party states that:
– it has a long history of passion for human rights, dating at least back to Prime Minister John George Diefenbaker
– it’s commitment to fundamental human rights is central to its values.
To advance human rights and democracy, the party advocates:
– dramatic revision of supply chain legislation to meaningfully enforce Canada’s commitment not to import products made with slave labour
– making it a criminal offence for Canadians to go abroad to benefit from serious violations of human rights, such as becoming complicit in organ trafficking through receiving an organ that has been forcibly harvested
– placing limits on the ability of the Government of Canada to grant waivers permitting those complicit in or responsible for serious human rights violations to come to Canada
– requiring the Minister of Foreign Affairs to table an annual report in Parliament outlining the work of the government to protect and promote human rights and democracy
– requiring the Government of Canada to maintain a public list of prisoners of conscience of particular concern, and creating mechanisms by which citizens can petition to add names to that list
– creating an International Human Rights Advisory Committee, with representation from a broad range of cultural and religious communities in Canada, advising the government on international human rights issues
– amending the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act to prevent Canadian development assistance that undermines international peace and security
– updating the Sergei Magnitsky Law to allow Parliament and groups of citizens to directly petition the Minister to list officials under the law and require the Minister to respond in writing to petitions that have achieved a certain threshold of support
– restoring Canadian leadership in advocating for persecuted sexual minorities in the face of repression, including speaking clearly and confidently for the inalienable human dignity of LGBTQ people and deploy resources to help their activists
China & Pacific
The party states that:
– Canada must stand up to the Communist government of China. Our quarrel is not with the people of China – part of an ancient civilization that has contributed much to humanity
– it is particularly concerned to support Chinese Canadians whose contributions to Canada are immeasurable and who are enduring an appalling rise in anti-Asian hate and discrimination
– it stands also with Uyghur Muslims, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners, Hong Kongers, and Chinese Christians
– instead, its issue is with China’s communist government and leadership. The communist leadership represents a clear and rising threat to Canadian interests – and our values. They’ve abducted our citizens, targeted our economy, and intimidated members of the Chinese Canadian community.
The party advocates:
– working with allies to build a “coalition of democracies” with the goal of decoupling critical parts of our supply chains from China
– recognition by the Government of Canada of the Uyghur genocide, and encouraging our allies to do the same; and banning imports that have been produced using forced and enslaved Uyghur labour
– ending policies that grant special treatment to Hong Kong, recognizing that Beijing’s decision to crack down on its autonomy eliminates the rationale for the special treatment
– supporting the people of Hong Kong fighting for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law by supporting a “Young Talents” program to encourage young people from Hong Kong to study in Canada; waiving records of arrest, charge or conviction related to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong when processing visas; providing documentation for those fleeing Hong Kong and seeking asylum in Canada who cannot obtain documentation from Hong Kong authorities
– withdrawing from the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
– banning Huawei from Canada’s 5G infrastructure and further investigating the company’s role in providing surveillance capabilities that have been used against the Uyghur people and other persecuted minorities in China
– advising universities against partnerships with China’s state-controlled companies and organizations and prohibiting federal grant councils from participating in such partnerships.
– joining the UK proposition for a Digital 10 to protect free societies’ data and cyber sovereignty
– cracking down on China’s foreign influence operations on Canadian soil by making it clear to China’s diplomats that any involvement in intimidation or threats to anyone in Canada provides grounds to be declared persona non grata and expelled from Canada; revoking visas of Chinese nationals identified by national security agencies as conducting espionage or stealing intellectual property; revoking the licenses of China’s state-run and state-controlled broadcasters that spread disinformation
– banning senior public office holders for five years after leaving office (including former Prime Ministers, Ministers, Clerks of the Privy Council, Deputy/Assistant Deputy Ministers and Ambassadors) from employment or contracts with China’s government or an entity controlled by China’s government. The ban would include doing work through a consulting or law firm
– using Canada’s Magnitsky sanctions law to sanction China’s worst human rights offenders, and granting asylum to mainland Chinese proponents of freedom and persecuted minorities, including Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners and others
Indo-Pacific
The party states that Indo-Pacific’s importance in the next century is clear, but little action has been taken to build relationships
The party advocates:
– taking steps to join the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a growing operational network promoting regional security and protecting the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific
To advance the prosperity and security of Canadians through engagement with the Indo-Pacific region, including the ASEAN nations, the party advocates five pillars of engagement:
– trade and technology, including promoting the development of rules of free and open digital trade, advancing economic opportunities with trusted partners, and removing barriers for Canadian companies
– diplomacy, including ensuring that senior ministers regularly engage Canada’s Indo-Pacific partners with clear goals, and establishing Vancouver as a hub for Quad economic cooperation
– strategic cooperation, including adopting trade and investment policies that give democracies priority in the Canadian trade strategy, including greater practical cooperation with Taiwan, elevating Canada’s diplomatic mission in Taipei to the “Canada House” and supporting Taiwan’s participation in multilateral fora, and working with the US-Japan-Australia “Blue Dot Network” to advance Canadian economic and infrastructure partnerships for the region’s development
– Canadian energy and climate solutions, including supporting Canadian energy and energy transition leadership and a climate-conscious, clean alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative
– security, including participating alongside our allies on freedom of navigation patrols, enhancing information sharing, and pursuing joint training with Indo-Pacific partners
India
The party states that Canada and India share strong, historical bilateral relations, and that Canada is home to a large and vibrant multi-ethnic and multi-religious Indo-Canadian community over a million strong
To repair and restore ambition in Canada’s relationship with India, the party advocates:
– resuming free trade talks derailed by the current government, and concurrently pursuing an investment treaty
– proposing regular joint security exercises with India as a critical partner in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
– pursuing a long-term strategic nuclear energy and energy transition partnership
– launching initiatives in technology, medicine, energy, and infrastructure to strengthen economic security, with clearly articulated objectives.
South Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka
The party advocates:
– promoting economic growth and partnerships
– promoting regional security and economic cooperation
– supporting financial transparency for all infrastructure and technological investments
– strengthening democratic resilience and civil society
Middle East
The party states that significant change has brought several nations in the region discovering common cause in peace and prosperity through the Abraham Accords
The party advocates:
– building and advancing a coherent agenda across the region, advancing Canadians’ security, prosperity, and values
– holding the Iranian regime accountable for its reckless nuclear ambitions, malevolent state support of international terrorism, and human rights violations
– imposing Magnitsky sanctions on gross human rights violators, including fulfilling the motion adopted by Parliament and designating the IRGC as a terrorist entity
– engaging with Iranians promoting women’s rights, human rights, and democracy
– establishing an international Cyrus Trust supporting good relations between the peoples of the region in the areas of art, culture, academia, and civil society.
– demanding justice and compensation for families of victims of downed Ukrainian Airlines flight PS752, applying Magnitsky sanctions and pursuing legal avenues against those responsible
– building on a record of engaging the world’s Muslim-majority nations that includes appointing Canada’s first Muslim Ambassador and first Ambassador to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
– expanding support for the region’s vulnerable women, children and minorities with economic and democratic empowerment, education, and health as the basis for long term peace and security
– establishing strategic relations with the United Arab Emirates and across the Red Sea region
Israel
The party advocates:
– confirming support for Israel’s existence as a sovereign democratic Jewish state with the right to self-determination and to live in peace and security, including, in order to enhance the bilateral relationship and support Israel in the region, Canada’s Conservatives setting clear objectives to enhance economic, political, and security cooperation to benefit both countries; recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the Canadian embassy to Jerusalem; returning Canada to its longstanding policy of not singling out Israel for criticism at the United Nations and international for a
– combatting the delegitimization of Israel, including opposing the denial of the 5,000 years of indigenous Jewish history throughout the Middle East
– opposing the International Criminal Court’s politicization and intrusion into bilateral Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
– promoting and supporting regional initiatives that foster peace between Israel and its neighbours
Palestine
To support the aspirations of the Palestinian people and a two-state solution leading to a Palestinian state, the party advocate:
– supporting the current religious status quo surrounding Al-Aqsa / Temple Mount and recognize the special role that Jordan plays in the safeguarding of Holy Sites in Jerusalem
– enhancing aid in a targeted manner in the areas of governance and institutional capacity building in support of eventual Palestinian statehood
– establishing a Canada-Palestinian Territories Trust Account at the International Monetary Fund, with the objective of providing training and economic instruments upon the arrival of a two-state solution
– investing in the economic empowerment of Palestinian women and support economic and civil society projects and an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
– expanding trade initiatives and encourage economic cooperation between Canada and the Palestinian territories and, following the establishment of a Palestinian state, negotiating a separate free-trade agreement
– following the successful negotiation of a final status agreement, upgrading Canada’s representation to an embassy to a future Palestinian state
Transatlantic Alliance
The party states that:
– as a founding member of the transatlantic alliance, Canada needs to show leadership in securing the rules-based international order, defending shared interests, and updating the alliance
– with new threats to Canadians emerging, Canada cannot act alone and must be an engaged partner in an alliance of nations determined to succeed against emboldened authoritarians
To that end, it advocates:
– expanding and deepening economic, political, intelligence, and security relations with the Baltic states and Ukraine
– restoring Canadian eastern flank leadership within NATO on cybersecurity, energy security, and combating disinformation
– supporting Belarusian and Russian civil society in their advocacy for freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law
Ukraine
The party states that bonds between Canadians and Ukrainians can never be broken. Canada was the first Western nation to recognize Ukraine’s independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
The party advocates:
– allowing visa-free travel for Ukrainians visiting Canada
– expanding Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine, Canada’s military training operation
– extending Operation REASSURANCE in Eastern Europe, Canada’s largest current international military operation
– restoring provision of RADARSAT-2 data to Ukraine, denied by the current government
– providing Ukraine with defensive military aid, including enhanced Canadian assistance to NATO training for Ukrainian armed forces
– provide support for Ukrainian democratic reforms to increase transparency and accountability
– greater use of Canada’s Magnitsky sanctions law to hold Vladimir Putin’s regime accountable
The Americas
The party advocates:
– working across the Americas in cooperation with the United States and the Organization of American States to restore principled leadership for development and stability
– following the global pandemic, working to rebuild economic opportunities and strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law
Specifically, the party advocates:
– working with and for the people of Central America against corruption, developing pathways for more significant economic opportunities, and supporting their democratic and geopolitical resilience
– nurturing partnerships in the Caribbean, supporting disaster risk protection and emergency management, establishing health security relationships, and strengthening cooperation on anti-money laundering and anti-piracy initiatives
– establishing strong ties with key allies across the region, including the Pacific Alliance, to build trade opportunities for Canadian businesses, with stronger Pacific partnerships for economic growth
– confronting encroaching authoritarianism threatening the peace and stability of our hemisphere, including by supporting the peaceful restoration of democracy and human rights in Venezuela and Nicaragua
– continuing Canada’s longstanding commitment to stability and economic development in Haiti
– supporting the people of Cuba in their push for the democracy and freedom they deserve
Africa
The party advocates responding to Africa’s increasing strategic importance and economic potential by implementing a strategy for long-term engagement based on partnership, not condescension, stating that the continent’s demographic vibrancy, economic growth, and strategic relevance demand a clear-eyed plan to advance Canadian interests
Specifically, the party advocates:
– fully engaging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement’s opportunities, particularly in infrastructure, energy transition, technology, minerals, and food security partnerships
– working with partners in supporting East Africa with data and infrastructure development
– pursuing a security partnership with the African Union, focussed on delivering stability and intelligence sharing in the Sahel
– establishing a long-term strategic outlook with key African nations like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire and Morocco
International Development
The party advocates introducing accountability to the nation’s international development assistance, prioritizing the economic performance and growth of Canada’s development partners. It advocates reforming, not reducing, international development assistance – maintaining current aid levels while increasing the effectiveness of Canadian aid and expanding engagement with the Canadian development sector, the private sector, and diaspora communities.
To promote peace and security, the party advocates:
– while maintaining a clear commitment to delivering untied aid, ensuring that national aid policy advances Canada’s national interests and values and delivers concrete results, prioritizing regimes and states that confront corruption
– aligning international development with Canadian peace and security priorities, by ensuring that Canadian development assistance will not advance the Communist Party of China’s Belt and Road Initiative; amending the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act so that aid dollars do not support the interests of hostile regimes
– supporting young people at risk of radicalization through Canadian leadership that prioritizes justice, democracy, and pro-pluralism education, as a defining feature of promoting development outcomes and improving global security, including proactively advocating for and invest in education programs that emphasize inclusion, pluralism, and human rights, inspired by local narratives and traditions; defunding programs aligned against Canadian values (including those delivered by UNRWA unless it is significantly reformed) and replacing them with new education initiatives that uphold universal human dignity, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence; partnering with and scaling local civil society to deliver leadership, integrity, and teamwork skills to young people and supporting reforms in policing and justice systems that strengthen the rule of law, ensure the provision of justice to the world’s most marginalized, and provide the most vulnerable with the security they require to better their conditions
– as a part of efforts to advance justice, placing a significant focus on combating extremism, human trafficking and the use of child soldiers, and abolishing all forms of modern-day slavery
– launching strategic partnerships in international development with regional allies where combined efforts and complementary strengths multiply impact, including engagement with the Blue Dot and Clean networks in real and digital infrastructure
– legislating a $250 million allocation from Canada’s annual International Assistance Envelope to build resilience in fragile democracies, including endowments for bilateral democracy programs, offering training, resources, and support to those confronting authoritarians and fighting for the success of their democracies
Global Food Security
The party states that:
– addressing the food security needs of people worldwide is a critical part of international development and security, requiring both short and long-term approaches
– Canada’s agricultural producers can be indispensable partners for developing countries in humanitarian assistance, experience, and technologies
– it will prioritize establishing resilient and sustainable food supplies for the most vulnerable
To that end, the party advocates:
– strengthening national support for long-term agricultural development through partnerships, technology and information sharing, and training with producers in emerging economies
– identifying, establishing, and building coalitions in strategic locations worldwide that can cooperate on developing a global network of food security infrastructure which Canadian organizations can contribute to building and stocking
Removing Regulatory Barriers
The party advocates reform of onerous “Direction and Control” regulation, ensuring accountability for spending without requiring projects in developing countries to be directly controlled by Canadian charities, thereby allowing Canadian organizations to develop respectful partnerships with organizations working on the ground in developing countries and reduce aid dependency by transferring administrative and control functions to empower local people and organizations.
Emergency Humanitarian Assistance
To meet short-term needs during disasters, the party advocates support for innovation in humanitarian assistance, delivering the greatest quantity of life-saving goods at the lowest possible cost-per-unit, and intelligently supporting long-term recovery and growth, including deployment of a “Canadian Innovation Relief” program to utilize Made in Canada solutions during international disaster response operations.
Development Finance, Innovation & Sustainable Growth
The party believes that job creation is the best antidote to poverty and that economic prosperity reduces international conflict. To that end, the party advocates, while maintaining a strong and clear commitment to international development, partnering with Canadians to create new tools that maximize economic growth, including:
– building markets and diaspora partnerships for poverty alleviation and economic development
– partnering with diaspora communities in Canada in financing and improving development impact, including scaling of the developmental impact of remittances, and the greater use of market-based financing vehicles
– ending the fragmented manner in which national development finance institutions are managed, and instead consolidating efforts in a Canada Development Finance Corporation
– implementing a “Post-Pandemic Compact for Growth Plan.” As the world emerges from the pandemic, now is the time to leverage investment, innovation and infrastructure around vaccine distribution and long-term health security in the poorest, most disadvantaged regions of the world
Arctic Sovereignty
The party states that the Canadian arctic is subject to both territorial threat from Russia and environmental damage from increased commercial traffic
To defend national arctic sovereignty, the party advocates:
– expanding the Canadian Rangers in number and mandate while making investments in their preparedness, equipment, and training
– refurbishing and expanding RCAF Forward Operation Locations and allowing civil airport authorities to co-locate and utilize runways
– completing the Nanisivik Naval Facility on Baffin Island and developing a new Arctic naval base at Churchill, Manitoba
– deploying new autonomous vehicles for Arctic surveillance operations in the air and at sea as part of a new Canadian sovereignty, deterrence, and detection strategy, with Bagotville as the main site to host the Government of Canada’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft
expanding the RadarSat constellation and launch more low earth orbit satellites for telecommunications and defence in the Arctic
Foreign Trade
Free Trade Agreements
To build jobs and promote the Canada’s commitment to human rights, the rule of law, protection of the environment, and respect for Indigenous Peoples, the party advocates:
– negotiation of new trade agreements with free countries that safeguard workers’ rights and the environment, rebalancing our trade priorities away from countries like China and towards the Indo-Pacific and Africa
– ensuring that new agreements – both bilateral and multilateral – provide Canada with the ability to protect and grow critical industries
– reform national procurement rules to create a vital national interest category that must be sourced in Canada
– develop a strategy to repatriate and diversify supply chains to move them away from China
– protect Canadian intellectual property with a strengthened Investment Canada Act that includes: presumption against allowing the takeover of Canadian companies by China’s designated state-owned entities
– automatic review of transactions involving sensitive sectors such as defence, artificial intelligence, and rare earth minerals
– mandatory national security reviews
– withdrawal from the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank
-pursuing a Canada-Australia-New Zealand-United Kingdom (“CANZUK”) agreement that could include free trade and flow of capital investment between the partners; reciprocal freedom to study, live and work for citizens under expanded areas of labour coordination as agreed upon by all parties; enhanced defence and security partnerships
– building deeper ties with India as part of an Indo-Pacific strategy, including: continuing to pursue free trade with India while concurrently pursuing an investment treaty to expand upon Canadian strengths as one of the world’s largest investors in India
– pursuing a partnership with Africa’s Continental Free Trade in infrastructure, energy, and technology
– to create jobs by expanding export sales, launch a historic trade promotion effort connecting all aspects of Canadian industries with international opportunities; establishing a trade accelerator connecting all sectors of the Canadian economy with EU commercial opportunities, measuring progress in job creation and long-term economic projects
– pursuing sales of Canadian nuclear technology to help other countries reduce their GHG emissions
– engaging countries in the Middle East, including by pursuing opportunities created by a warm Emirati-Israeli peace
Emissions Reduction Technologies
The party states that although leadership begins at home, the truth remains that Canada only accounts for less than 2% of global emissions. Canada should do its part to help other countries cut their emissions – particularly those not blessed with our wealth or resources. To that end, the party advocates:
– implementing a Liquified Natural Gas export strategy to displace coal in electricity generation, cutting emissions in half
– developing export markets for Canadian nuclear technology and uranium, to help countries generate more electricity with this zero emission energy source
– increasing exports of our cleanest resources and products to replace items made with higher pollution. For example, Canada produces aluminum more efficiently than the rest of the world and it will get even cleaner as Canadian producers continue to innovate
– exporting Canadian emissions reduction technology around the world.
National Defense
Security and Public Safety
To address national threats arising from global pandemics, great power rivalries, transnational criminal organizations, terrorism, disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks, the party advocates:
– mandating a Minister of National Security & Public Safety with addressing data and cybersecurity, information operations, threats from foreign actors against Canadian residents, extremist financing, space and surveillance, and industry and critical infrastructure
– to prevent foreign dissemination of disinformation and influence in elections, recognizing that information warfare and influence operations do not simply target our election cycles but are a persistent threat to our entire democratic system, including establishing a permanent task force to address foreign interference that will: monitor disinformation and influence operations online and on our streets and bring together National Defence, Global Affairs, CSIS, CSE, provincial and municipal agencies, civil society, social media platforms and media
– assessing addressing threats from foreign actors against Canadian residents, including recently reported operations against diaspora communities in Canada
– working with allies and other democracies to monitor, detect, and expose foreign disinformation attacks and threats from foreign actors
– passing a Foreign Agents Registry Act requiring individuals and companies acting as agents of designated foreign principals (country, corporation, entity or individual) in a political or quasi-political capacity including lobbying, policy development, advertising, and grassroots mobilization to register. Requirements for disclosure would include the amount of payment, the nature of the relationship, and the activities performed
– making it an offence for any entity that has spent more than $100,000 in a calendar year on political activity of any kind (federal, provincial, or municipal) to receive foreign donations of any amount
– amending the Elections Act to: prohibit any entity that receives more than 2.5% of its total donations from foreign sources during the year before the writ period from advertising during the writ period or during the pre-election period; creating a positive obligation to trace all funds expended by an entity during a writ period to Canadian sources
Support for Canadian Forces Members
The party states that:
– national defensive posture must account for increasing threats in the Arctic, along our coasts, in the sea, in the air and in the cyber domain
– we have a moral duty to stand firmly behind them and give them the tools and support they need
To support CAF members, the party advocates:
– ending harassment and discrimination and making the CAF a better workplace by enhancing the participation of women, Indigenous people, and visible minorities through proactive, targeted recruitment at the community level; calling a public inquiry into harassment and discrimination in the Canadian Armed Forces and make immediate changes such as removing commanders’ access to their subordinates’ medical files; ordering a service-wide independent investigation into sexual misconduct in the military
– introducing policies to ensure future complaints are made to an external, independent body outside the chain of command, and making the CF and DND Ombudsperson an independent Officer of Parliament
– to address challenges associated with deployments and postings, being conscious of the heavy operational toll that tears military families apart and depletes Canada’s ability to deploy, only deploy our forces when they have clear and achievable missions along with the appropriate resources needed to achieve them; lengthening postings where possible to enable families to put down root; working with the provinces to help ensure that the process of moving between provinces is as seamless as possible for military families
– prioritizing recruitment and retention, including an emphasis on retraining and skills development to allow those willing to serve to continue to do so
– working with provincial governments to develop comprehensive job protection legislation that shields reservists who leave their day job to deploy
– reviving the Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP) at civilian universities to provide educational opportunities for youth serving their country
– harmonizing trade training in the Armed Forces with Red Seal Qualifications so that military service becomes an incubator for skilled workers who can transition easily and productively to the civilian economy
Defense Against Cyber Attacks
To ensure that Canada is prepared to defend against cyber warfare threats we face, the party advocates:
– finishing a properly funded, equipped, and staffed Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command to defend Canada from cyber-attacks, with emphasis on reserve participation
– establishing closer collaboration between the private sector cyber industry and CAF Cyber Command
– developing capabilities for cyber operations
Alliances
To maintain alliances, the party advocates:
– updating and enhancing the North Warning System as part of NORAD and extending it to protect the entire Canadian Arctic, including our Arctic archipelagos
– reinforcing the cornerstone of Canada’s defence policy by renewing national commitment to NATO; increasing spending on national defence to move closer to 2% aspirations; expanding Canada’s contribution to NATO Baltic Sea Air Policing and NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia
– intensifying Operation UNIFIER, Canadian Armed Forces’ military training and capacity-building mission in Ukraine, supplying Ukraine with lethal weapons, and reinstating the provision of RadarSat imagery
– creating a NATO Centre of Excellence for Arctic Defence at the Resolute Bay CAF Training Centre to enhance cooperation and interoperability with allies
– ensuring active Canadian participation in NATO training missions and NATO Centers of Excellence in the areas of Cybersecurity, Strategic Communications, and Energy Security
– expanding current regional defence participation in the Indo-Pacific area by joining the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), an informal strategic alliance between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India, frequently referred to as the ‘Pacific NATO,’ in order to secure a voice in decision making.
Military Equipment & Procurement
The party states that successful military procurement requires focused leadership at the highest levels of government
To streamline defence procurement and expedite the acquisition of military equipment desperately needed by the Canadian Armed Forces, the party advocate:
– appointing a Minister for Defence Procurement with real power to make decisions
– taking politics out of procurement and working across party lines by using the Standing Committee of National Defence for advice and input on future military procurement projects
– prioritizing procurement of a new fighter jet to replace aging CF-18s through the current open competition and getting the new fighter fleet into service as quickly as possible; remaining committed to the National Shipbuilding Strategy by proceeding with the Canadian Surface Combatants, icebreakers, Joint Supply Ships, and Coast Guard vessels; pending completion of the two Joint Supply Ships, ordering the Obelix from Chantier Davie to complement the Asterix and make Davie a full participant in the National Shipbuilding Strategy; beginning the process to replace our aging Victoria-class submarines; and procuring two armed, heavy icebreakers for the Royal Canadian Navy to contribute to our efforts to “own our north” in the face of increased Russian and Chinese Arctic activity
Veterans
To honor the sacred trust sacred trust between Canadian citizens and veterans, the party advocates:
– streamlining and coordinating the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) benefits systems, which currently do not work together well, by replacing them with a single streamlined system of benefits from enlistment through service and retirement
– ensuring financial security & transition support for injured Veterans and their families
– streamlining benefit adjudication & setting performance targets to ensure that the benefits system is focused on helping our veterans
– allowing veterans and their families to direct their care and rehabilitation
– insisting on on care, compassion, and respect in every aspect of veteran services
– ensuring that the benefits system is focused not only on compensation but on helping veterans build meaningful careers through partnerships with universities, colleges, and businesses
– empowering military doctors, who know the demands of service and the impact of injuries, to determine a service-related injury for all CAF and VAC purposes
– making fitness categories job-specific, and ensuring that those who wish to continue to serve after injury will have the opportunity to retrain in an area where they can serve
– ensuring
– ensuring a smooth transition for any CAF members who have to be medically released, including retaining them in the CAF until all the benefits and services from the CAF, VAC, and Service Income Security Insurance Plan have been confirmed and put in place
– implementing the Lifelong Disability Benefit for moderately to severely injured veterans
– making transfer to the reserves a practical and easy option and adjusting service requirements to balance the need for training with the reality of adapting to the civilian workforce
– ensuring that military families, especially spouses, are provided with sufficient support
– implementing a strategy to combat homelessness among veterans and exploring the potential for using surplus military housing to provide housing for homeless veterans
– covering the cost of PTSD service dogs for veterans and creating training standards for them
– empowering frontline VAC employees to adjudicate claims
– completing the Afghanistan War Memorial
– funding educational initiatives that teach Canadians about veterans’ service and Canada’s place in the world
Defence Industries
The party states that in view of lessons learned during the pandemic about the importance of domestic manufacturing capabilities, and noting that Canadian workers are world leaders at developing software, mobile hospitals, and other technologies and equipment for our armed forces and those of our allies, it advocates:
– identifying key defence industry capabilities and investing in them
– re-evaluating risk management measures in defence contracts that shift risk and therefore control to contractors at the expense of selecting Canadian components
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
The party states that:
– the most important job of any government is to keep its citizens safe
– Canadians have a right to be free from crimes of violence and exploitation
– Canadians demand that in addition to serving as a means to separate offenders from society, the correctional system also serve to correct, offering a pathway to a life beyond crime
– it believes both in deterrence that decisively separates those who have committed crimes from their victims and potential victims and in the potential of those who choose to permanently turn from a criminal past and work towards a future respectful of the rights of fellow citizens
Domestic Violence
The party states that
– treating those who commit domestic violence too lightly not only does a massive disservice to their innocent victims, but also puts the broader community at risk. It has been shown that criminals who commit acts of violence frequently start by abusing their spouse or partner
– it believes that the justice system should both impose tough sentences on those who assault their spouse or partner and make it easier for victims to escape their abusers and rebuild their lives
In order to protect victims, the party advocates:
– amending the Criminal Code to make it an aggravating factor at sentencing for assault where the victim is in a domestic or dependent relationship with the perpetrator
– adding a provision to the Criminal Code that specifies the offence is an indictable offence and provides for a mandatory minimum penalty of two years where the Crown can show that an offence of assault, assault with a weapon or causing bodily harm, or aggravated assault is part of a pattern of conduct with the victim, with the Crown required to give notice before trial of its intention to seek this elevated sentence
– prohibiting those under peace bond or the subject of a protective order from possessing a “firearm, crossbow, prohibited weapon, restricted weapon, prohibited device, ammunition, prohibited ammunition or explosive substance, or all such thing”
– enacting Clare’s Law so that when police investigate a complaint of alleged domestic violence, they are required to notify the victim of the suspect’s relevant criminal history
To support victims of domestic violence, the party advocates:
– making it easier for women fleeing domestic violence to hide their new location from their abusers
– expanding the Canada Child Benefit by $500 per month per child for the first year and $250 per month per child for the second year for women with children living in women’s shelters to help them transition to more long-term housing
– creating a fund to incentivize educational institutions and private sector organizations to partner with women’s shelters to provide career training for the women they serve
Gang Violence
To address gang violence, the party advocates
– hiring an additional 200 RCMP officers to combat gangs and the smuggling of guns and drugs, the officers to be based in the GTA and the Lower Mainland
– eliminating the requirement for Crown Attorneys to prove that an organization is a criminal organization and requiring that the Crown to prove only that the accused is a member of such an organization, by establishing an entities list for criminal gangs
– amending the automatic detention provisions of the Criminal Code by adding: “with an offence in the commission of which violence was allegedly used, threatened or attempted and the accused had previously been convicted of for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with, a criminal organization”
– amending the Criminal Code so that usage of the same firearm by two separate individuals in the commission of a crime would create a rebuttable presumption that a criminal organization committed the offences
– partnering with the private sector to create a Gang Exit Strategy program that will see the power of the private sector harnessed to give offenders the opportunity to escape a cycle of violence and start fresh in a new location with gainful employment and the support needed to leave behind a life of crime
– working with partner organizations across the country to develop and expand programs to keep youth out of gangs
Gun Violence
To keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, the party advocates pursuing smugglers, by:
– cracking down on “straw purchasing” of firearms, by amending the Firearms Act so that an individual who, on three separate occasions during a calendar year, transfers a firearm for financial consideration must have a firearms business license; amending the Criminal Code to add the following aggravating factors on sentencing: the number of firearms transferred, whether financial consideration was exchanged, and the amount of monetary consideration
– amending the Criminal Code provisions on unauthorized importing so that: it is an aggravating factor on sentencing if more than one firearm is imported otherwise than under the authority of the Firearms Act; a mandatory minimum penalty of three years applies where the unauthorized importing occurs for financial consideration
– supporting specialized enforcement against illegal firearms, including instructing CBSA and RCMP, working closely with American authorities in the United States, to target smuggling operations before illegal firearms reach the border, including by improving and expanding the RCMP contribution to the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams
To combat criminal use of firearms, the party advocates:
– amending the Criminal Code provisions on possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose to make it an aggravating factor on sentencing where an individual commits the offence while the subject of a prohibition order under the Firearms Act and had previously been convicted of an offence under that section or an offence against the person while in possession of a firearm, and to impose a sentence of from two to ten years
– amending the Criminal Code provisions on the unauthorized possession of a firearm by imposing a mandatory minimum sentence of two years if the person was the subject of a prohibition order at the time of the events giving rise to the conviction or had been previously convicted of an offence involving a firearm
– partnering with the Ontario Provincial Police to expand the Firearms Tracing and Enforcement database nationally and taking steps to ensure that all crime guns are submitted for testing and analysis and inclusion in this database, with a focus of keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals
– repealing C-71 and the May 2020 Order in Council and conducting a review of the Firearms Act with participation by law enforcement, firearms owners, manufacturers, and members of the public, and updating legislation by introducing a simplified classification system and codifying it in law so that it is clear what types of firearms fit into each category and classification decisions can be made quickly, and with the public and firearms owners having confidence that they are not arbitrary
– mandating the automatic surrender to law enforcement of firearms where an individual has been charged with an offence against the person while requiring law enforcement to return the firearms if the charge is dismissed
– amending the Firearms Act to authorize a hospital, mental institute, psychiatric clinic, or medical professional to give notice to the Chief Firearms Officer if they provide treatment for a mental illness to a person whom they reasonably believe possesses a firearm and may pose a danger to themself or others
– developing a suicide prevention strategy that encourages people – including legal firearms owners – to seek help when they need it
– amending firearms laws to ensure that no administrative expiry could lead to criminal charges or the seizure of a licence holder’s firearm(s). ° Until an expired licence is renewed, it would remain illegal for licence holders to acquire, by any means, new firearms or ammunition
Serious Crimes
The party advocates continuing against the Quebec Court of Appeal decision reducing the sentence for the Quebec City Mosque murderer and, if the law under which he was sentenced is eventually struck down, introducting new legislation to ensure that multiple murderers face more severe sentences
Human trafficking & slavery
The party advocates:
– strengthening human trafficking laws by making them consistent with the Palermo Protocol and removing the requirement to prove that a trafficker exercised fear or intimidation over a victim
– eliminating Preliminary Inquiries in cases of sexual assault to prevent the revictimization of individual victims, including children, who deserve our protection
– amending the Criminal Code to clarify that an offence takes place in Canada where, at the time of the offence, the victim was present in Canada
– implementing legislation to ensure human traffickers serve consecutive sentences for multiple human trafficking offences
– amending the Criminal Code by adding procuring offences to the list of designated offences that may be subject to the forfeiture of proceeds of crime. This will ensure that those who profit off sexual exploitation can have their profits seized, the same as drug dealers or criminal organizations
– providing $100 million over five years to support training for non-provincial police forces in the areas of: sexual exploitation; cyber-security and online offences; and investigation of sexual offences
Critical Infrastructure
– In order to protect critical infrastructure from intentional stoppage, the party advocates amending the Criminal Code to create an offence of interference with an infrastructure facility or a public transportation system punishable by either summary conviction or indictment, depending upon the severity of the crime.
Online Incitement
The party recognizes a connection between incitement to violence, especially online, and acts of violence in Canada and other countries. To fight such incitement, the party advocates:
– amending the Criminal Code to clearly criminalizing statements that encourage violence against other people or identifiable groups, while protecting forms of speech, criticism, and argument that do not encourage violence
Natural Disasters
The party states that climate change increases the risks of fires, droughts, flooding, and extreme weather events. Canada is already demonstrably feeling the impact of this given the fact that insurance payouts due to environmental events – particularly flooding – have dramatically increased in the last 12 years. As a result, homes are becoming harder to insure, costs for insurance are going up, and maximum payouts are going down.
To build resiliency and better prepare Canada for the impacts of a changing climate, the party advocates:
– appointing a national disaster resilience advisor to the Privy Council Office, analogous to the National Security and Intelligence Advisor established after 9/11, to advise Cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office, helping ensure that the government is prepared for future risks
– implementing a national action plan on floods, including establishing a residential high risk flood insurance program to ensure all Canadians are financially protected while avoiding future government bailouts
– devising and implementing a national climate adaptation strategy based on measurable targets; addressing provincial concerns on flood readiness while leveraging private sector solutions to reduce government exposure and spending; and addressing wildfire and drought exposure in collaboration with farmers, ranchers, and foresters
– incorporating a mitigation and adaptation lens to the government’s infrastructure investments.
– working with provinces and territories to develop a natural infrastructure plan including development of a national standard to assess the value of natural infrastructure; requiring that public sector accounting practices be updated to include a proper valuation of existing natural infrastructure; requiring incorporation of natural infrastructure into community design; and Incentives for farmers and landowners to protect and restore natural infrastructure
– investing in technology that can improve the early detection of wildfires and better predict their behaviour
The Role of Government
The party states that it is the responsibility of political leadership to build cohesion within our society through seeking common ground, celebrating diverse identities, and discouraging polarisation.
Stewardship & Reform
Taxation & Budget
Corporations
The party advocates:
– applying a corporate tax on transnational e-commerce companies doing business in Canada by requiring the foreign vendor to register, collect and remit taxes where the product or service is consumed. The e-commerce sector – giants like Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, and Google – command a significant share of the Canadian market but pay virtually no tax
– imposing a financial transactions tax of 0.5 per cent in the finance sector as France has done since 2012
– increasing the federal corporate tax rate from 15 to 21 per cent to bring it into line with the federal rate in the United States, our biggest trading partner. A former Governor of the Bank of Canada, has said that corporations are holding “hundreds of billions of dollars in their bank accounts,” rather than reinvesting in the economy. This dead money needs to be mobilized for the transition to a green, renewable economy
– charging a five per cent surtax on commercial bank profits. Commercial banks accumulate huge profits – $43.15 billion for the five largest banks in 2018 alone. Credit unions, caisses populaires and co-ops will be exempt.
– working with international partners to implement a global minimum tax so that the biggest companies in the world are not able to escape the taxes they owe here in Canada
– prohibiting Canadian businesses from deducting the cost of advertising on foreign-owned sites such as Google and Facebook which now account for 80 per cent of all spending on advertising Canada
– eliminating the 50 per cent corporate meals and entertainment expense deduction, which includes season tickets and private boxes at sporting events
Wealthy Individuals
They party advocates:
– apply a one per cent tax on net (family) wealth above $20 million
– closing stock option tax loopholes that benefit the wealthy. Executives with stock options as part of their remuneration package only pay half the rate of income tax on this portion of their income
– closing capital gains tax loopholes. The capital gains loophole allows people and corporations to only add half of their capital gains to their taxable income, while those with only employment income pay taxes on their entire income. Over 90 per cent of the value of this tax break goes to the richest 10 per cent, and about 85 per cent goes to the top one per cent
– ending offshore tax evasion by taxing funds hidden in offshore havens and requiring companies to prove that their foreign affiliates are actual functioning businesses for tax purposes
– focusing the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on identifying people who hide vast wealth, rather than conduct random audits of ordinary Canadians, as recommended by several Auditor Generals
– providing adequate funding to the CRA to collect tax revenue hiding in offshore tax havens
– applying a tax on luxury goods, such as planes, and luxury cars
Real Estate
The party advocates:
– creating an “empty home” tax for foreign and corporate residential property owners who leave buildings and units vacant
– closing tax haven loopholes that allow foreign investors to hide the names of beneficial owners of properties in Canada
Tax Reform
The party advocates:
– establishing an arm’s length Federal Tax Commission to analyze the tax system for fairness and accessibility, based on the principle of progressive taxation. The last Tax Commission was in the 1960s, so reform is long overdue. This will include recommending an appropriate way to tax cryptocurrencies
– eliminating all fossil fuel subsidies, including payments and tax write-offs, valued at several billion dollars annually. These include the accelerated capital cost allowance on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and tax write-offs for oil and gas wells, coal mining exploration and development, flow-through share deductions for coal, oil and gas projects, and oil and gas properties
Government Programs and Services
To support transition to a green economy, the party advocates:
– promoting green procurement practices (procuring goods and services that have a reduced environmental impact), as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme
Democratic Reform
The party states that:
– the strength of Canada’s democracy is consistently rated amongst the highest in the world – but better is always possible
– there are abundant signs that the nation needs democratic revitalisation: many people feel like their votes and their voice don’t make a difference, and share a sense that corporations and the wealthiest individuals have more control than the rest of us
– trust in democracy has been declining, both in Canada, and worldwide. Cynicism and political polarization are increasing. Even Canada’s strongest allies, longstanding liberal democracies, have faced serious threats to their democratic processes
– in the same way that we renovate our historic buildings, it’s time to renovate the 19th-century foundations of our democracy: retaining the strongest parts of our traditions, while bringing our democratic systems up to date, ready to face the many challenges of the modern era
– the newest emerging threat to our democratic practices is the rapid spread of misinformation and disinformation through online echo-chambers. Diversity of values and perspectives leads to productive and democratic dialogue, only in the presence of an agreed set of verifiable, evidence-based facts. Distinguishing facts from misinformation will be one of the key challenges of our digital era
– Canadians want, and deserve, policy that is developed deliberatively, in the light of evidence, and through respectful discussion across party lines. We can develop tools to deal with this growing challenge, to protect our democracy from the polarization and fracturing that we have seen internationally
– with the right policies, Canada can strengthen and modernize our democracy, fit for the 21st century, and inspire increased public participation and trust in our democratic institutions. We can improve on our historic democratic strength, and become a country where truly all citizens – no matter how much money you have, what part of the country you live in, or your identity or occupation – feel that their voices are being heard, and that they have equal opportunity to influence the government policy, and the future of our nation
The party advocates:
– requiring political parties to publicly report on their plans to recruit candidates from under-represented groups, in every fixed-date election year, and to publicly report on the success of those plans after every federal election
– requiring political parties to tell the truth: Giving power to the Commissioner of Canada Elections to oversee political advertising during elections and referenda, to ensure that political advertising is subject to the same type of ‘truth in advertising’ regulation that already applies to businesses
– restoring the “per-vote subsidy” model for funding political parties, which was scrapped in the Harper years and has not been restored under the Liberal government. The current system of political donations and tax rebates heavily favours the wealthiest citizens. Restoring the subsidy, and reducing personal donation limits, will ensure that every citizen has an equal voice in politics, regardless of their personal wealth
– always supporting modernising our electoral system, to be based on Proportional Representation. The evidence of the benefits for citizens, and for parliamentary outcomes, are overwhelmingly clear
– establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly on Democratic Renewal to be convened as early as possible. Recognizing the conflict of interest in having politicians re-design the system that elected them, the Assembly would be a diverse and randomly selected body of citizens, brought together with a mandate to consider and to provide a set of recommendations to our Parliament on four interrelated issues: Modernizing Canada’s electoral system, Lowering the Voting Age to 16, Online Voting, and Mandatory Voting. The process would be supported by a public service secretariat, and facilitated by an independent and non-partisan organization, who would bring in expert witnesses, as well as individuals and groups directly affected by the issue
– strengthen the Conflict of Interest Act to include financial and other penalties for politicians who break Conflict of Interest laws
– imposing strict conflict of interest screening criteria for appointments to federal regulatory boards and agencies, minimizing the potential for bias and preferential access by the regulated industry
– allowing an independent oversight committee to review MPs’ salaries, expenses and office budgets, replacing the secretive Board of Internal Economy
– strengthening the Lobbying Act to require greater transparency and prevent “revolving doors” between political life, the public service and lobbying
– strengthening whistle-blower protections for public service employees and reaffirm the independence and integrity of the public service
– expanding the Access to Information Act to include the Prime Minister’s Office, minister’s offices, and administration of parliament
Provinces, Territories, & Municipalities
The party states that:
– municipal governments are often the ones that people turn to in their hour of need. In Canada, cities have taken leadership roles on critical issues such as climate change, the pandemic, and social programs.
– however, Canadian municipalities are limited in their ability to provide services because the 1867 constitutional designation of the municipal order of government as creations of the provinces severely limits their autonomy and authority. With only 10 cents out of every tax dollar flowing to municipalities, and no direct powers of taxation, vast inequities in our governance structures and financial stability have been created
In order to provide a greater share of tax revenues to municipalities for development of long-range transit and housing plans, the party advocates the charter city movement, including:
– supporting the use of city charters to give greater autonomy to cities
– making changes to the Canada Infrastructure Bank to reduce interest rates to municipalities on loans for infrastructure project
– institutionalizing federal transfers to municipalities through the creation of a Municipal Fund, renaming the Gas Tax funds, which were delinked from gas tax revenue years ago, and retaining the same eligibility as the Gas Tax funds
– ensuring a permanent doubling of current funding to ensure predictable and reliable funding to municipalities
– allocating one per cent of GST to housing and other municipal infrastructure on an ongoing basis to provide a consistent baseline of funding
– answering the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ and Vancouver Mayor’s Council’s call for a permanent, dedicated federal public transit fund of $3.4 billion annually starting in 2026-2027, once the existing transit program expires
– committing to a multi-year solution to transit operating shortfalls in order to protect and secure shared investments in building out Canada’s transit networks
Peace, International Relations
The party states that:
– Canadians want to be proud of their international reputation, to be responsible international neighbours who can offer our support and resources to their allies
– this requires the government of Canada to live up to its commitments, to be a reliable partner on the international stage, and to demonstrate leadership in areas that matter the most
– during the pandemic, the government did not live up to its responsibilities as a member of the international community: it took vaccines from the international COVAX facility, designed to ensure that low and middle-income countries had access to vaccine supply
– even as it insisted that it was committed to tackling the climate emergency, it was increasing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions through its policies, leaving those least responsible for the causes of climate change to bear the burden of its impact
– even as the government promised to protect Afghans who supported the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, fighting and dying alongside Canadian soldiers, it made the decision to call an election, rather than to focus on how to rescue the thousands of Afghan support staff behind with little hope of safety or rescue
– climate change-induced natural disasters, infectious diseases, forced displacement, and the weaponization of information have become the world’s leading international security risks. They can be confronted through new forms of cooperation and collaboration
– Canada must engage in more egalitarian forms of collaboration with a more diverse set of international partners. This requires re-tooling and preparing our military to support disaster preparedness and response, while maintaining combat readiness. It requires that Canada reconsider trade and diplomatic alliances that have made us overly dependent upon traditional allies and authoritarian states, while restraining our ability to take principled stands in defence of our values
– in an increasingly multi-polar world, Canada must stand for the promotion of human security and global goods, giving precedence to political support first, and military support as a final resort
– Canada must live up to its commitments, and demonstrate renewed leadership and reliability on issues like the climate
The party advocates:
– pursuing a foreign policy centred on the promotion of human security and respect for the rule of law in dealing with state and non-state actors
– signing and ratifying the Treaty to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and pressing urgently for global nuclear disarmament and the conversion of military industries in Canada into peaceful and restorative industries
– leading national and international discussions to define ‘environmental refugee’ and its inclusion as a refugee category in Canada, and accepting an appropriate share of the world’s environmental refugees into Canada
– strongly condemning and raising international awareness of the evidence regarding violations of international law, and leading discussions with international allies to explore all options for bringing perpetrators into compliance
International Trade
The party advocates:
– pursuing an international fair trade policy centred on the promotion of environmental, social and governance principles, a more egalitarian regime for the exchange of intellectual property and clean technologies, and a narrowing of the equality gap between high- and low-income countries
– shifting the direction of international trade away from “free trade” to “fair trade” in order to prioritize the protection of human rights, labour standards, cultural diversity, and ecosystems around the world
– supporting global calls for the reform of the World Trade Organization to ensure more equitable international mechanisms that can effectively tackle pandemics and climate crises
– strengthening the mandate and tools available to the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) to independently investigate Canadian companies operating abroad and report publicly on its findings
– ceasing all federal support to Canadian exporters of arms and fossil fuels, with the exception of potential necessary sales of peacekeeping equipment in cooperation with the United Nations
– developing and implementing carbon border adjustments to ensure Canadian businesses do not face unfair competition from polluting jurisdictions
– leading international discussions to reform TRIPS (The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) to ensure that intellectual property rights are not barriers to the achievement and furtherance of international human rights and clean development
– removing the current model of Investor State Dispute Settlement mechanisms (ISDS) in all existing trade agreements and prohibit its use in any new agreements
– mandating and equipping Canadian missions abroad to expand partnerships among civil society organizations centred on the promotion of human rights, resilience, scientific cooperation and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
The party advocates an international development policy centred on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, while emphasizing support for the development of carbon-free economies, and emergency and disaster relief, including:
– to address pandemics everywhere, investing in stronger global health systems that will prevent future outbreaks
– ensuring a COVID-19 recovery plan that addresses the growing gap in the care economy, particularly magnified through the pandemic, and that provides more resources to women and girls around the world so they are able to access education, health care, proper nutrition and maintain autonomy over their sexual and reproductive rights
– mobilizing Canada’s fair share of international climate finance, calculated at approximately $1.84 billion per year to 2025,36 and leading negotiations towards the achievement of a post-2025 international climate finance target
– enhancing Canada’s development aid efforts and economic investment in specific key areas that: 1. Foster alternative fuels and energy sources that dramatically reduce the need to import oil and natural gas and further allow the growth of recipient nation independent and/or majority ownership of these sectors and/or businesses as they develop; 2. Focus on agriculture sectors that provide for adaptation and food sovereignty through both subsistence farming and domestic commercial farming methods that are in keeping with green environmentally sound and gender equality principles; 3. Increase bilateral trade, where possible, to facilitate the export of value added products from small island economies; 4. Support and strengthen cooperation with regional organizations to further the goal of regional independence and sovereignty
– mandating and equipping Canadian missions abroad to expand partnerships among civil society organizations centred on the promotion of human rights, resilience, scientific cooperation and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
– fulfilling Canada’s obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity by providing new and substantial funding for nature conservation in developing countries and by implementing policies aimed at protecting biodiversity throughout the world
International Development & Climate
The party advocates:
– shaping all climate change policies in order to fulfill existing commitments to international climate change efforts, as policies to mitigate climate change will only be effective through international collaboration and coordination
– submitting a revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement that reflects Canada’s fair share of emissions reductions (60% reduction below 2005 by 2030) in meeting the 1.5°C warming target
– ramping up climate finance to $USD 4 billion per year to support climate mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage in developing countries
– participating actively in future international efforts, positioning Canada as a leader on global climate change initiatives
– investing in green infrastructure in developing countries to offset energy poverty. As one of the world’s highest per capita emitters of GHGs, Canada has a responsibility to support the climate action efforts of other countries and Indigenous communities. We will do so by supporting local green infrastructure in developing countries to offset energy poverty
– banning the export of thermal coal from Canada, thereby ending the export of millions of tons of US coal from Canadian ports
– mobilizing Canada’s fair share of international climate finance, calculated at approximately $1.84 billion per year to 2025, and leading negotiations towards the achievement of a post-2025 international climate finance target.
National Defense
The party advocates a defence policy centred on the pursuit of disarmament, support for disaster preparedness and relief, defending Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, and adherence to the Geneva Conventions, including:
– urgently implementing the recommendations of the 2015 External Review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces (the Deschamps report)
– signing and ratifying the Treaty to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, and pressing urgently for global nuclear disarmament and the conversion of military industries in Canada and worldwide into peaceful and restorative industries
– realignment of defence spending to increase national capacity and speed in delivering disaster assistance (e.g. through the DART − Disaster Assistance Rapid Response Team), responding to domestic crises (e.g. pandemic outbreaks in long-term care homes), our contributions to UN peace forces and missions, and cyber defence initiatives
– reinforcing Canada’s Arctic sovereignty through expanded patrols, and funding for community infrastructure development, regional sustainability projects, northern research, northern culture, and other regional socioeconomic activities
– assessing Canada’s membership in military alliances including NATO and NORAD to ensure they are meeting Canada’s priorities of diplomacy, development, and defence, and enhancing Canada’s contributions to promote the advancement of cyber defence capabilities
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
Criminal Justice
The party states that:
– the criminal justice system is in dire need of transformative change. For the most part, crimes are a result of gaps and failures in our socio-economic structures. Systemic racism, the criminalization of poverty and serious mental health issues are endemic in our system. We have a harmful over-reliance on the outdated and inhumane prison system.
– prisons are not the solution. Prisons have proven themselves to be an ineffective and harmful response to the societal problem of criminal conduct. In most cases, there are alternative responses that better serve victims, society, and offenders.
– prisons are often used to warehouse people with serious mental health issues — mental health disorders are estimated to be 2-3 times more prevalent in the prison population, compared to the general population
– prisons have also been shown to result in increased recidivism, render rehabilitation and reintegration more difficult, and they are extremely expensive, with often inhumane conditions
– solitary confinement continues to be overused and inappropriately used in Canadian institutions, with little transparency.
– the number of legally innocent persons held in pre-trial detention has increased, in some cases outnumbering the number of people actually convicted and serving a sentence
– while the national incarceration rate has been decreasing over the past few years, this decrease is not consistent across the provinces and territories
– the incarceration rate of Indigenous Peoples continues to increase at an unconscionable rate. The over-representation of Indigenous Peoples in correctional institutions means that Indigenous inmates are not only more disproportionately the subject of victimization in prisons, but they also face greater health risks as a result of their incarceration. Indigenous inmates were particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 — just over 57% of inmates infected in the pandemic’s second wave were Indigenous
– Black persons are more likely to be arrested and taken to police stations for processing after arrest, more likely to be held overnight, even once age and criminal history are taken into account, and are more likely to have more conditions imposed upon release.
– studies show that restorative justice is an alternative model that can improve healing for PTSD victims, increase accountability for offenders, and reduce recidivism
The party advocates development of a restorative justice model that will allow for transformative justice, meaningful accountability and rehabilitation of those who cause harm, greater healing for those who are victimized and those who are criminalized and imprisoned, and ultimately decreased involvement in the traditional criminal legal system, including:
– revitalizing and resourcing social, economic, physical and mental health supports,particularly in light of the mass incarceration of Indigenous, Black and other racialized people
– ensuring that prison is a last resort, where public safety necessitates imprisonment
– implementing laws that reduce the incarceration of those with mental health issues through preventative measures
– bolstering laws and policies aimed at decolonizing, decriminalizing and decarcerating, by expanding on and codifying the requirement for sentencing judges to take into account systemic and historical racism when dealing with Indigenous persons, and the requirement that they act to reduce the impact of systemic racism
– developing clear laws and guidelines aligned with the principles set out by the Supreme Court in R. v. Ipeelee and R. v. Gladue, and implementing additional laws to reduce incarceration of Indigenous Peoples in provincial and federal prisons
– implementing the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that deal with justice (sections 25-40)
– developing laws and policies aimed at providing social, housing, health, economic and educational support in order to reduce the over-policing and over-incarceration of Black and Indigenous peoples
Criminal Sentencing & Incarceration
The party advocates:
– eliminating mandatory minimum sentences and enabling courts to determine appropriate sentences based on the circumstances of each individual case and established sentencing laws and principles
– taking steps to ensure that, where some form of incarceration is necessary, individuals are, as quickly as possible, held close to their community to allow for more effective reintegration and rehabilitation
– eliminating solitary confinement, in accordance with Bill C-83, including ensuring that the Federal Advisory Committee on Prisoner Isolation receives access to all required information to monitor the state of “structured intervention units” (solitary confinement) within Canada’s prisons, ensuring that the recommendations of the Office of the Correctional Investigator with respect to SIUs are implemented
– revisiting and developing clearer laws to reduce the number of people held in pre-trial detention
Youth in the Criminal Justice System
The party states that:
– when young people engage in criminal acts, it is most often a reflection of inadequate social interactions, family life, mental health, and other essential supports and systems
– despite efforts to reduce the number of youth detained in Canadian jails, youth numbers in pre-trial detention are consistently high
– while the proportion of white youth in secure custody decreased overall since the enactment of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, that has not been the case for Black and Indigenous youth, who remain overrepresented in the criminal justice system
The party advocates investing resources in youth mental health, and in social and educational supports, including:
– collaborating with provincial partners and communities to invest in youth mental health, education, opportunities, and success, in order to decrease the involvement of youth in the criminal justice system, with a particular focus on communities that have traditionally been either at greater risk or a greater target of law enforcement
– reviewing the treatment of young persons in the criminal justice system, and assessing the use of diversion and alternative measures across the country, with a particular focus on when and to whom these alternatives are offered, and the impact of diversionary programs versus full involvement in the criminal justice system
– examining and assessing the online threat to young and vulnerable persons, and taking steps to address this situation through education and updated laws, as needed
Disaster relief
To help municipalities limit the impact of climate change on their communities, the party advocates support for the request of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for increased funding through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, covering wildfires, rehabilitation of storm water systems, and restoration of wetlands, shorelines and other natural infrastructure.
Decriminalization of Drugs
The party states that:
– Canada is experiencing a deadly drug overdose epidemic. Between 2016 and 2020, there were close to 20,000 reported drug toxicity deaths
– Canada now averages 17 deaths per day from drug poisoning, and, in some parts of the country, deaths have more than doubled during the pandemic
– the rising rates of drug-related deaths have become a pressing public health issue and safety emergency
– the overdose crisis must be treated as a health-care issue rather than a criminal one. Personal possession and use of illicit drugs must be decriminalized to allow for more accessible medical and social support for those who need it
– no one should be in jail for the possession of small amounts of drugs
– Canadians who need them must have access to a safe supply of government-regulated drugs. The toxic supply of illicit drugs must be replaced, greatly reducing the risks of fentanyl poisonings and overdoses
The party advocates:
– declaring the drug poisoning crisis a national public health emergency
– decriminalizing possession of illicit drugs for personal use, including removing criminal penalties for the personal possession and use of all drugs under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
– legislating this change rather than relying on informal, incremental, and discretionary measures that fall short of real decriminalization
– creating a national safe supply of drugs of choice
– creating a programme through the federal government so people can access pharmaceutical alternatives of drugs of choice safely
investing in an integrated system of decriminalization and access to meaningful services for those persons who are seeking treatment, including increased funding to community-based organizations to test drugs and support those who use drugs, implementing a national education and distribution program for Naloxone, so Naloxone kits are widely available to treat overdoses and every Canadian knows what it is and how to use it; creating a legal and policy environment that funds and advances evidence-based programmes, in order to facilitate the development and scaling up of harm reduction services across all of Canada, including in rural communities and prisons; and expanding support for mental health services and addiction services for those who are seeking these services
– amnesty for those convicted of simple possession of cannabis by providing automatic pardons to anyone convicted in the past of simple possession of cannabis and ensure that any records of such offences and circumstances are expunged from police records
– moving to legally regulate currently illegal drugs based on the best available evidence regarding harms and benefits as a step towards treating problematic drug use as a health issue, including regulations with a public health focus, as is the case with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis in Canada currently, to provide safer access while protecting individuals and populations. Depending on the substance and potential harms and benefits, regulation could range from prescriptions to regulated outlets to licensed premises, with the aim of providing safer access for adults, while protecting children and youth.
Systemic Discrimination
To eliminate systemic discrimination among the police, the party advocates:
– reviewing the operations and decision-making process of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission and making changes to ensure that the CRCC is more accountable, effective, responsive, and transparent in its review of RCMP conduct
– ending the practice of allowing the RCMP to review and handle complaints made against it
– creating a national standard for independent and accountable oversight of policing, in cooperation with the provinces, including urging provincial and municipal bodies to implement those standards to ensure fairness and accountability in policing across the country
– developing a national standard for police use-of-force, and working with other jurisdictions to ban certain kinds of force, such as chokeholds and neck restraints
– creating a mandatory national database on the collection of police use of force data, disaggregated by race, ethnic background, national origin, age, and other identities to track victims of incidents of use-of-force by police and better understand the extent of systemic racism in Canadian policing
Sex Workers
The party states that:
– sex workers still live and work under a criminal regime. In March 2021, The Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform, which represents 25 groups that work with members of the sex trade, launched a constitutional challenge in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. They argue the laws violate provisions of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and have launched a constitutional challenge to most of the sex-work provisions that were implemented in 2014 under the Protection for Communities and Exploited Persons Act
– despite voting against a previous government’s Bill C-36, and after two terms, the Liberals have yet to take action regarding Bill C-36 or the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act
The party advocates:
– reforming sex work laws in Canada with a clear focus on harm reduction, given the dangers that sex trade workers face
– increased funding for community organizations providing services to those driven to sex work by economic deprivation
The Role and Purpose of Government
During its prior term in office the Party developed a Quality of Life Framework to be used as a guide in making policy decisions. In Annex 4 of its 2021 Budget, the party stated that:
– the framework is inspired by the Better Life Initiative of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental organization based in France the grew from the rebuilding of Europe following the Second World War
– in December 2019 it directed the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance to better integrate quality of life measurements into decision-making and budgeting
– guided by conversations with experts, nations that are advanced in their thinking about well-being, provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, and feedback from Canadians themselves, officials across the government have teamed up to create a draft “made-in-Canada” approach
– the initial Canadian was publicly announced in the 2021 Federal Budget, and comprises five factors:
* Prosperity
* Health
* Society
* Environment
* Good Governance
The party further states that the Quality of Life Framework consists of a set of 84 indicators, organized into a series of domains: prosperity, health, society, environment and good governance. The Framework also includes two cross-cutting lenses which are applied across all of its domains: the Fairness and inclusion lens and the Sustainability and resilience lens.
Government Services
Among recent actions to improve the delivery of government services, the party identifies:
– accelerating claims processing and reducing backlogs for Employment Insurance (EI) and Old Age Security (OAS) through allocation of $1.02 billion to Service Canada
– reducing call centre wait times through allocation of $574 million to Service Canada and $400 million to the Canada Revenue Agency
– improving services at the border with a $137 million investment in the Canada Border Services Agency
– speeding up immigration application processing by hiring 1,250 new staff and investing in more efficient technology
– providing faster services to veterans through $115 million for Veterans Affairs Canada to reduce backlogs and retain case managers
Passport and Immigration Services
The party states that during its current term in office, in order to reduce wait times for passport and immigration services:
– it has adopted new technologies, streamlined processing, and made significant new investments, including $135 million in 2022-23 to address immigration application backlogs
– these investments have resulted in elimination of passport application backlogs and the return to pre-pandemic processing times of 10 days for in-person applications at specialized passport offices, and 20 days for applications received by mail or dropped off at a Service Canada Centre
– it has processed 5.2 million applications for permanent residence, temporary residence, and citizenship in 2022—double the number of applications processed in 2021
– it has moved more key services online, including the confirmation of permanent residence status and the introduction of online citizenship testing and ceremonies, as well as addressing backlogs of paper-based applications through digitization
Canada.ca and 1 800 O-Canada
The party states that in order to ensure quick and easy access to information on government programs and services, whether requested by telephone or internet, including more-accessible websites, it proposes to allocate $17.7 million over four years to Employment and Social Development Canada to increase capacity at 1 800 O-Canada call centres, improve Canada.ca.
Old Age Security IT Modernization
The party states that the federal government delivers more than $60 billion in Old Age Security benefits to more than seven million seniors each year, and that to ensure timely and reliable delivery of these critical benefits, it proposes allocate $123.9 million over seven years to Employment and Social Development Canada for completion of Old Age Security IT modernization
COVID 19 Emergency Benefits
The party states that:
– in view of the need to deliver emergency pandemic benefits quickly, it was inevitable that some overpayments occurred
– moreover, in some cases the the emergency support system was abused
– it proposes allocating $53.8 million in 2022-23 to Employment and Social Development Canada to support integrity activities relating to overpayments of COVID19 emergency income supports
– it is committed to working with Canadians to recover overpayments. Those struggling with the repayment process are able to work with Canada Revenue Agency to develop a flexible repayment plan that works with their individual life circumstances
Stewardship of Office
Deficits and Debt
During its prior term in office, the party stated that:
– it anticipated annual budget deficits starting at $398.7 billion in 2020-2021, decreasing to a deficit of $33.4 billion in 2025-26, with a return to balanced budgets thereafter
– it anticipated that federal debt will remain above 50% of GDP until at least 2026, and considers that this is a relatively low national debt, with annual interest not exceeding 1.2 percent before 2026
The party reports that:
– it anticipates budget deficits of $36.4 billion in 2022-23; $30.6 billion in 2023-24; $25.4 billion in 2024-25; $14.5 billion in 2025-26; $3.4 billion in 2026-27: and a surplus of $4.5 billion in 2027-2028
– it forecasts federal debt ratios of 42.4% of GDP in 2022-23; 43.5% of GDP in 2023-24; 43.2% of GDP in 2024-25; 41.2% of GDP in 2025-26; 41.1% of GDP in 2026-27; and 39.9% of GDP in 2027-28
– Canada’s net debt as a share of the economy is currently lower than in any other G7 country prior to the pandemic, and is forecasted to remain so
Procurement
In its Mandate Letter to the Minister of Public Services & Procurement at the beginning of its current mandate, the party instructed the Minister that:
– the Ministry should leverage the government’s purchasing power to increase access to economic opportunity for a greater diversity of Canadians
– in addition, it should ensure that federal procurement practices support Canada’s transition to a green economy, including through ongoing greening of government operations and procurement of Canadian clean technology
Tax Reform
The party states that:
– up to 12 per cent of Canadians currently do not file their tax returns—the majority of whom are low-income, and would pay little to no income tax
– in fact, many of these low-income Canadians are missing out on valuable benefits and support to which they are entitled, such as the Canada Child Benefit and the Guaranteed Income Supplement
– since
– since 2018, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has delivered a free and simple File My Return service, which allows eligible Canadians to auto-file their tax return over the phone after answering a series of short questions. Canadians with simple tax situations and lower or fixed income receive an invitation letter from the CRA to use File My Return, and in the 2022 tax filing season, approximately 53,000 returns were filed using this service
To ensure more low-income Canadians have the ability to quickly and easily auto-file their tax returns, the party plans:
– to increase the number of eligible Canadians for File My Return to two million by 2025—almost triple the current number
– starting in 2024, piloting a new CRA automatic filing service that will help vulnerable Canadians who currently do not file their taxes receive the benefits to which they are entitled
The party states that in order to promote fairness within the tax system, during its current term in office it previously:
– raised taxes on the wealthiest one per cent to cut taxes for the middle class
– permanently increased the corporate income tax rate of the largest, most profitable banks and insurance companies in Canada
– introduced a one-time, 15 per cent tax on the taxable income above $1 billion of banking and life insurer groups to help pay for the COVID recovery
– introduced a new luxury tax on private jets, yachts, and luxury vehicles
– increased to $15,000 the amount of income that Canadians can earn before paying any federal income tax
– prevented wealthy Canadians from using foreign shell companies to avoid paying Canadian tax
– limited excessive interest deductions to ensure that large companies pay their fair share.
Alternative Minimum Tax
The party states that:
– through the significant use of deductions, credits, and other tax preferences, some of the wealthiest Canadians pay little to no personal income tax in a given year
– the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) is intended to ensure that the highest-income Canadians cannot disproportionately lower their tax bill through advantages in the tax system
– the AMT has not been significantly reformed since its implementation in 1986
The party proposes:
– legislative amendments to raise the AMT rate from 15 per cent to 20.5 per cent and further limit the excessive use of tax preferences. These amendments would generate an estimated $3.0 billion in revenues over five years, beginning in the 2024 taxation year
– under these reforms, the basic AMT exemption would increase more than fourfold, from $40,000 to $173,000, significantly increasing the income level necessary to pay the AMT, resulting in a tax cut for tens of thousands of middle-class Canadians, while more precisely target the very wealthy
– under these reforms, more than 99 per cent of the AMT paid by individual Canadians would be paid by those who earn more than $300,000 per year, and about 80 per cent of the AMT paid would be by those who earn more than $1 million per year
Corporate Taxes
The party states that in order to ensure that corporations are fairly taxed, and to put Canadian workers and businesses on a level playing field with global competitors, it continues to strongly support the two-pillar international tax reform plan agreed by 138 members of the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting
Pillar One (Reallocation of Taxing Rights)
The party states that Pillar One will ensure that the largest and most profitable global corporations, including large digital corporations, pay their fair share of tax in the jurisdictions where their users and customers are located. Rules for taxation have been developed through an OECD-led process, and countries are working towards completing multilateral negotiations so that the treaty to implement Pillar One can be signed by mid-2023
To ensure that Canadians’ interests are protected in any circumstance, it proposes to advance legislation for a Digital Services Tax. It is Canada’s hope and expectation that the timely implementation of the new multilateral system will make a Digital Services Tax unnecessary
Pillar Two (Global Minimum Tax)
The party states that:
– Pillar Two, a global minimum tax regime, will ensure that large multinational corporations are subject to a minimum effective tax rate of 15 per cent on their profits wherever they do business
– to function effectively, Pillar Two requires coordinated implementation by countries around the world. Recent steps taken by a number of countries to implement Pillar Two in 2024, including the members of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Republic of Korea, mean the multilateral framework for the global minimum tax regime is now being put in place
– it reaffirms its intention to introduce legislation implementing the Pillar Two global minimum tax. The primary charging rule of Pillar Two and a domestic minimum top-up tax would be effective for fiscal years of multinational corporations that begin on or after December 31, 2023. The secondary charging rule would be effective for fiscal years that begin on or after December 31, 2024. The government will continue to monitor international developments as it moves forward with the implementation of Pillar Two.
Share Buybacks
The party states that during its current term in office:
– it intends to introduce a two per cent tax on share buybacks by public corporations in Canada
– the proposed tax would apply as of January 1, 2024 to the annual net value of repurchases of equity by public corporations and certain publicly traded trusts and partnerships in Canada. A business would not be subject to the tax in a year if its gross repurchases of equity were less than $1 million
– it is estimated that this measure would increase federal revenues by $2.5 billion over five year. Importantly, it would also encourage firms to re-invest in their workers and businesses.
Fair Taxation of Dividends Received by Financial Institutions
The party states that:
– dividends that financial institutions receive on Canadian shares are not treated as business income and are effectively exempt from tax
– financial institutions rely on this treatment to lower their tax burden, which reduces tax revenues that are important to delivering benefits and services to Canadians
– it proposes to amend the Income Tax Act to treat dividends received on Canadian shares held by financial institutions in the ordinary course of their business as business income. This measure would apply to dividends received after 2023, which would increase federal revenues by $3.15 billion over five years, and by $790 million ongoing
General Anti-Avoidance Rule
The party states that:
– the General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR) was added to the Income Tax Act in 1988 to prevent abusive tax avoidance. If abusive tax avoidance is established, the GAAR applies to deny the tax benefit that was unfairly created. The GAAR has helped to tackle abusive tax avoidance but it requires modernizing to ensure its continued effectiveness
– it proposes to develop draft legislative proposals to strengthen the GAAR, for consultation
Accountability
To promote accountability while improving outcomes in health care, the party states that it has asked provinces to:
– ensure that new federal investments are used in addition to provincial spending, and that provinces and territories do not divert away health care funding of their own
– uphold the Canada Health Act and use new federal spending to strengthen Canada’s public health care system
– streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals and advance multi-jurisdictional credential recognition so that well-trained health care professionals can work wherever there is need
– improve the ways in which health information is collected, shared, used, and reported to Canadians, and adopt common data standards
– develop action plans to measure and report progress to the public, including: improved access to family health services, mental health and substance use services, supporting health care workers, and reducing backlogs and wait lists
– commit to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, including fair and equitable access to quality and culturally safe health care services
Democratic Reform
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on democratic reform.
Following the 2015 election, the party reversed a public party commitment and declined to enact any form of electoral reform.
Wisdom, Humility, and Respect in Politics
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on wisdom, humility, and respect in politics.
Provinces, Territories, & Municipalities
Equalization Payments
The party states that following consultations with provinces and territories, it proposes to renew the Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing programs for a five-year period, beginning April 1, 2024, with technical changes to improve the accuracy and transparency of the programs.
Quebec
In its Mandate Letter to the Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec at the beginning of its present term in office, the party instructed the Minister to continue to prioritize the delivery of support to small and medium-sized businesses and support job creation in communities recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peace, International Relations
The party states that:
– as a member of the G7, G20, the Commonwealth, and La Francophonie, an important contributor to NATO, and a global supporter of democracy, equality, and human rights, Canada is a steadfast defender of the rules-based international order in an increasingly dangerous and competitive world
– Russia’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine is the most significant threat to the rules-based international order since its creation following the Second World War. Thousands of Ukrainians have been murdered, and many millions more have been displaced. The conflict has accelerated longstanding issues of poverty, income inequality, and food insecurity in the Global South
– in response, Canada has provided critical financial and military assistance to Ukraine, worked to implement unprecedented sanctions on those responsible for the war, and the Russian economy, stepped up to support vulnerable people around the world who are feeling the effects of Putin’s barbaric invasion, and welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainians to Canada
– with democracy under threat from countries like China and Russia, with global progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals slowing, and with climate change contributing to instability around the world, Canada must continue to take action on pressing humanitarian, development, and security challenges—both here at home and around the world
– over the past year this has meant responding to the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, providing critical humanitarian and disaster assistance in Pakistan, Türkiye, and Syria, supporting women in Iran fighting for political and human rights, and providing assistance to restore security for the Haitian people
The party further states that it has announced the following key investments to enhance the nation’s security and leadership around the world:
– $38.6 billion over 20 years to invest in the defence of North America and the modernization of NORAD
– more than $5.4 billion in assistance for Ukraine, including critical financial, military, and humanitarian support
– more than $545 million in emergency food and nutrition assistance in 2022-23 to help address the global food security crisis and respond to urgent hunger and nutrition needs
– $2.3 billion over the next five years to launch Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, including the further global capitalization of FinDev Canada, which will deepen Canada’s engagement with our partners, support economic growth and regional security, and strengthen our ties with people in the Indo-Pacific
– $350 million over three years in international biodiversity financing, in addition to Canada’s commitment to provide $5.3 billion in climate financing over five years, to support developing countries’ efforts to protect nature
– $875 million over five years, and $238 million ongoing, to enhance Canada’s cybersecurity capabilities
– delivering on a commitment to spend $1.4 billion each year on global health, of which $700 million will be dedicated to sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls
– channeling almost 30 per cent of Canada’s newly allocated International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights to support low-income and vulnerable countries, surpassing the G7’s 20 per cent target
International Finance
The party states that:
– outside of Canada, the rapid tightening in monetary policy has revealed pockets of vulnerabilities in the global banking system. In March 2023, three medium-sized regional U.S. banks—Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank—failed. In Europe, one large and systemically important bank, Credit Suisse, was also nearing failure before UBS agreed to acquire it
– while the global banking system remains well capitalized, uncertainty over the extent and magnitude of additional credit-related losses that could accrue as economies slow remains elevated. In response, financial authorities have taken a series of steps to stabilize the financial system, maintain confidence in the banking system, and limit further negative feedback into the global economy
– among its key accomplishments during its current term in office, it includes channeling almost 30 per cent of Canada’s newly allocated International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Drawing Rights to support low-income and vulnerable countries, surpassing the G7’s 20 per cent target.
Economic Security
The party states that:
– dependence on dictatorships for key goods and resources is a major strategic and economic vulnerability, as seen following Russia’s attempts to break European resolve by cutting off natural gas supplies. Our allies are moving quickly to protect themselves from economic extortion, which includes friendshoring their economies by building their critical supply chains through other democracies
– it proposes to do the same, working together with allies and partners to will ensure that national supply chains are not vulnerable to exploitation, and that hostile foreign powers cannot buy up Canadian industries and natural resources
– as this process continues across the world’s democracies, it can make our economies more resilient and national our supply chains with national values while protecting workers from unfair competition created by coercive states and race-to-the-bottom business practices
Foreign Trade
In its Mandate letter to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development at the beginning of its present term in office, the party instructed the Minister that:
– the Ministry’s immediate priority should be to strengthen and secure critical supply chains and advance Canada’s export diversification strategy
– the Ministry should prioritize efforts to ensure that small businesses and communities in every region of the country have the tools and supports they need to recover, to innovate and grow, to create new jobs, and to seize the opportunities afforded by economic diversification
– the Ministry should also work to design and launch the Futures Fund for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador, as a key element of our plan to support a Just Transition for workers communities and industry
The party states that:
– Canada must navigate a fundamental shift in the patterns of global trade. For much of the past three decades, the global economy has become increasingly interconnected
– while economic integration lowered costs for many goods, it also built a system of global trade that was vulnerable to the disruption of critical supply chains
– for Canada and our democratic partners, the vulnerability created by dependence on authoritarian regimes for critical goods is no longer tenable. Russia’s weaponization of energy exports has forced the world’s democracies to fundamentally rethink their supply chain vulnerabilities. China currently dominates key portions of supply chains for clean technologies, including batteries
– mitigation of these vulnerabilities by the world’s democracies will require a realignment of global trade, and the shifting of critical supply chains away from dictatorships and towards democracies like our own. This process, which has been referred to as “friendshoring,” represents a significant economic opportunity for Canada and for Canadian workers
Foreign Interference
The party states that:
– Canada’s democracy and diverse population make the nation a target for hostile states seeking to acquire information and technology, intelligence, and influence to advance their own interests
– examples include foreign actors working to steal information from Canadian companies to benefit their domestic industries, hostile proxies intimidating diaspora communities in Canada because of their beliefs and values, or intelligence officers seeking to infiltrate Canada’s public and research institutions
– to protect Canadian residents from threats by foreign actors, and Canadian businesses public institutions from foreign interference, it proposes allocating $48.9 million over three to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, both for protection and for more proactive engagement with communities at greater risk of being targeted; and $13.5 million over five years, to Public Safety Canada to establish a National Counter-Foreign Interference Office
Ukraine
The party states that:
– it has supported Ukraine since the Russian invasion, and intends to stand with them for as long as it takes
– during its current term in office Canada has provided more than $5.4 billion in total aid, including financial assistance to the government and significant military support
– financial aid includes $2.45 billion in loans to the Government of Ukraine to help deliver essential services; leadership in creation of the IMF Administered Account for Ukraine, which has facilitated more than $3.8 billion in financial assistance from Canada and its international partners; €36.5 million (approximately $50 million) loan guarantee through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to facilitate support to Ukraine’s state-owned energy company, Naftogaz; and, $115 million in grant assistance to repair Kyiv’s power grid
– military contributions include more than $1 billion in military aid and equipment donations, including armoured vehicles; a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System; 39 armoured combat support vehicles; four M777 howitzers; anti-tank weapons and small arms; and, continuation of Operation UNIFIER, which has trained more than 35,000 members of Ukraine’s security forces since 2015
– other support has included $320 million in humanitarian assistance; $96 million in development assistance for Ukraine’s government institutions and civil society organizations, and to provide grain storage solutions for farmers; more than $81 million in support for demining operations, securing Ukraine’s nuclear storage facilities, and other peace and stability initiatives; and, temporarily waiving all duties on Ukrainian imports
– it is also playing a leading role in efforts to cut Russia off from the global economy and hold Putin and his hangers-on accountable for their illegal war on Ukraine. Canada’s sanctions efforts include: sanctioning more than 1,800 individuals and entities since February 2022; working with our partners in the Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force to block or freeze more than $58 billion worth of assets from sanctioned individuals and entities; playing a key role in the development of price caps on Russian oil and petroleum products to deprive the Kremlin of revenues to fund its illegal war; being the first country to revoke Russia’s and Belarus’s Most-Favoured-Nation status, which reduced imports from these two countries by more than 97 per cent; implementing a new, world-leading regime to enable the federal government to pursue the forfeiture and sale of sanctioned Russian assets in Canada; playing a leading role in international efforts to ban Russian banks from the global SWIFT financial transaction processing system; prohibiting the importation of aluminum and steel products and other key goods from Russia; and, banning the exportation of a broad range of products to Russia and Belarus, including goods that could be used in the manufacture of weapons
– since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, it has offered Canada as a safe haven for nearly 200,000 Ukrainian citizens and returning Canadian permanent residents of Ukrainian origin, including through the temporary Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel, including commitments for allocation of an additional $171.4 million over three years
Foreign Assistance
The party states that:
– with human rights and the rule of law under threat from authoritarian regimes around the world, Canada has an important role to play in fighting for the values we cherish
– as a democracy, Canada has an obligation to take steps to protect the most vulnerable and help to build a safer and more prosperous world for people everywhere
– Canada is committed to improving the lives of women, girls, and vulnerable populations around the world, and to increasing international development assistance every year towards 2030. Through our Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada has delivered high levels of international assistance
With respect to economic growth in developing countries, the party states that:
– Canada has offered preferential tariff programs to developing countries since the 1970s, to support these countries in growing their economies through the export of goods to Canada
– it proposes to update and renew the General Preferential Tariff and the Least Developed Country Tariff until 2034, and create a new General Preferential Tariff Plus. This new program will build on Canada’s progressive trade agenda and incentivize countries to adhere to international standards on human rights, labour conditions, gender equality, and climate change
– its proposal is estimated to reduce federal tariff revenues by $130 million over six years
– it is gravely concerned by the ongoing human rights violations against Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in China, as well as by the use of forced labour around the world. Given these concerns, it is important that importers address their supply chain vulnerabilities and ensure their production promotes our shared Canadian values around the world. It proposes to introduce legislation by 2024 to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains to strengthen the import ban on goods produced using forced labour
Veterans & Defense
The party states that:
– to ensure those who serve our country in uniform continue to have the resources they need, Budget 2022 took significant action to reinforce the Canadian Armed Forces
– it also proposes decisive action to defend Canada and our public institutions from foreign threats and interference
– its defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, is committed to ensuring the Department of National Defence (DND) has stable, predictable funding. TAs a result of Strong, Secure, Engaged and subsequent funding increases, DND’s annual budget is expected to more than double over ten years, from $18.6 billion in 2016-17 to $39.7 billion
National Defence
By Mandate Letter addressed to the Minister of National Defence at the beginning of its current term in office, the party instructed the Minster that:
– the Ministry’s immediate priority was to take concrete steps to build an inclusive and diverse Defence Team, characterized by a healthy workplace free from harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct and violence, including bringing forward the necessary reforms on a priority basis to create the foundation for meaningful and lasting change in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), a vital national institution.
– it was also to continue to advance the party’s vision as set out in Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada’s Defence Policy and enhance the nation’s capabilities to anticipate and respond to threats at home and abroad. As part of Canada’s engagement with allies and partners, the ministry was to maintain Canada’s strong contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), ensure continued support for United Nations peace operations, and work with the United States to modernize the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).
The party states that investments in Canada’s national defence have totaled more than $55 billion over 20 years, including:
– $38.6 billion over 20 years to strengthen the defence of North America, reinforce Canada’s support of our partnership with the United States under NORAD, and protect our sovereignty in the North
– $2.1 billion, and $706.0 million ongoing for Canada’s contribution to increasing NATO’s common budget
– $1.4 billion to acquire new critical weapons systems needed to protect the Canadian Armed Forces in case of high intensity conflict, including air defence, anti-tank, and anti-drone capabilities
– $605.8 million to replenish the Canadian Armed Forces’ stocks of ammunition and explosives, and to replace materiel donated to Ukraine
– $562.2 million to improve the digital systems of the Canadian Armed Forces
– up to $90.4 million to further support initiatives to increase the capabilities of the Canadian Armed Forces
– $30.1 million over four years to establish the new North American regional office in Halifax for NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic
– $1.4 billion to upgrade the facilities of Joint Task Force 2, Canada’s elite counterterrorism unit
Fighter Aircraft
The party states that:
– it intends to acquire 88 F-35 fighter aircraft, at a cost of $19 billion, to play an essential role in defending Canada’s sovereignty, protecting North America, and supporting the nation’s allies around the world, with the first scheduled for delivery by 2026
– it also intends to invest $7.3 billion to modernize, replace, and build new infrastructure to support the arrival of the new F-35s. This is the first project approved under Canada’s plan to modernize NORAD
NATO Climate Change and Security Centre in Montreal
The party states that:
– at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Montreal was announced as the host city for NATO’s new Climate Change and Security Centre, to bring together NATO allies to mitigate the impact of climate change on military activities and analyze new climate change-driven security challenges, such as the implications for Canada’s Arctic
– it proposes provide $40.4 million over five years, with $7 million ongoing, to Global Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence to establish the Centre
Veterans’ Services
The party states that in order to serve provide veterans benefits and services in a timely manner, it has, during its current term in office:
– invested more than $11 billion to enhance benefits and services, and that applications for benefits have increased by 47 per cent
– in addition, it proposes to allocate $156.7 million over five years to Veterans Affairs Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board to reduce backlogs and support service delivery across several programs and services
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
By Mandate Letter to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada at the beginning of its current term in office, the party instructed the Minister that:
– the Ministry’s top priority was to ensure that all Canadians have access to fair and just treatment before the law, including reforming and modernizing the criminal justice system, which will include work to advance strategies to address systemic racism and the disproportionate representation of Indigenous Peoples, as well as Black Canadians and members of marginalized communities
– the Ministry should also prioritize implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and appointment of a Special Interlocutor to further advance justice on unmarked graves and address the legacy of residential schools.
Officer Well-Being
To help public safety officers deal with traumatic events and decrease their risk of post-traumatic stress injuries, the party proposes providing $16.7 million over five years to the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment at the University of Regina.
Wrongful Convictions
The party believes that under the current system, it can be too difficult, and take too long, for people who believe they have been wrongfully convicted to have their cases reviewed. The party states that it has introduced legislation to establish an independent Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission to replace the current ministerial review process and make the process more efficient and accessible, and proposes to provide $83.9 million over five years Justice Canada for the independent Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission.
Financial Crimes
The party states that:
– serious financial crimes, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and the evasion of financial sanctions, threaten the safety of Canadians and the integrity of our financial system. Canada requires a comprehensive, responsive, and modern system to counter these sophisticated and rapidly evolving threats
– it does not support Canada acting as a financial haven for oligarchs or the kleptocratic apparatchiks of authoritarian, corrupt, or theocratic regimes such as Russia, China, Iran, and Haiti, and will not allow the Canadian financial system to be used to clandestinely and illegally move money to fund foreign interference inside Canada
– during its current term in office the federal government has modernized Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF) Regime to address risks posed by new technologies and sectors, and made investments to strengthen Canada’s financial intelligence, information sharing, and investigative capacity
– the national AML/ATF Regime must continue to be strengthened in order to combat the complex and evolving threats our democracy faces
The party proposes amendments to the Criminal Code and the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) to strengthen the investigative, enforcement, and information sharing tools of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime, including:
– giving law enforcement the ability to freeze and seize virtual assets with suspected links to crime
– improving financial intelligence information sharing between law enforcement and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), and law enforcement and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)
– introducing a new offence for structuring financial transactions to avoid FINTRAC reporting
– strengthening the registration framework, including through criminal record checks, for currency dealers and other money services businesses to prevent their abuse
– criminalizing operation of unregistered money services businesses
– establishing powers for FINTRAC to disseminate strategic analysis related to the financing of threats to the safety of Canada
– provide whistleblowing protections for employees who report information to FINTRAC and broaden the use of non-compliance reports by FINTRAC in criminal investigations
– setting up obligations for the financial sector to report sanctions-related information to FINTRAC
In keeping with the requirements of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), the party further proposes:
– a public consultation that will examine ways to improve Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (AML/ATF, including ways in which governments can better use existing tools to seize the proceeds of crime, and the potential need for new measures, such as unexplained wealth orders
– to counteract use of anonymous Canadian shell companies to conceal the true ownership of property, businesses, and other valuable assets, implementation of a public, searchable beneficial ownership registry of federal corporations by the end of 2023
– amendments to the Canada Business Corporations Act and other laws, including the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act and the Income Tax Act, to implement a publicly accessible beneficial ownership registry through Bill C-42
The party also proposes:
– reviewing the mandate of FINTRAC to determine whether it should be expanded to counter sanctions evasion and will provide an update in the 2023 fall economic and fiscal update, and whether FINTRAC’s mandate should evolve to include the financing of threats to Canada’s national and economic security as part of the parliamentary review
– to strengthen Canada’s ability to respond to complex cases of financial crime, establish a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency (CFCA), and provide $2 million to Public Safety Canada to undertake this work. The CFCA will become Canada’s lead enforcement agency against financial crime. It will bring together expertise necessary to increase money laundering charges, prosecutions and convictions, and asset forfeiture results in Canada. These actions will address the key operational challenges identified in both domestic and international reviews of Canada’s AML/ATF Regime.
Public Safety
In its mandate letter to the Minister of Public Safety at the beginning of its current term in government, the party instructed the Minister that:
– the Ministry should prioritize efforts to keep cities and communities safe, notably by investing in crime prevention programming and implementing the party’s firearms commitments
– while continuing to support the important work of law enforcement, the Ministry should likewise prioritize policing reform to address systemic racism and ensure the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) meets the needs of the communities it serves, and to ensure the RCMP continues its work to transform its culture and create a culture of accountability, equity, diversity and inclusion
– the Ministry should also take action to modernize and maintain the integrity of Canada’s borders and address complex and evolving threats, including to our economy, and protect our national security interest
Pandemics & Health Emergencies
The party states that during its current term in government:
– it has committed significant funding towards the revitalization of Canada’s biomanufacturing sector through a Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, including up to 2023 more than $1.8 billion in 32 vaccine, therapeutic, and biomanufacturing projects across Canada, alongside $127 million for upgrades to specialized labs at universities across the country
– the life sciences ecosystem it is building is attracting major investments from leading global companies, including Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi
To continue its efforts, the party proposes:
– exploring new ways to be more efficient and effective in the development and production of the vaccines, therapies, and diagnostic tools that would be required for future health emergencies, beginning with consultation of Canadian and international experts on how to best organize our readiness efforts for years to come
Coast Guard
The party states that in order to carry out duties such as search and rescue and icebreaking operations, the Canadian Coast Guard operates 117 vessels and 22 helicopters
In order to support expansion of the Coast Guard fleet in coming decades, the party proposes to provide $119.6 million over five years, with $102.1 million in remaining amortization and $17.4 million ongoing, to Fisheries and Oceans Canada to reinforce the integrity of its helicopter fleet and ensure the Canadian Coast Guard has the necessary infrastructure and support to hire and train staff
Natural Disaster Response
The party states that:
– as a result of climate change, extreme weather is on the rise, often leaving behind severe damage to homes and communities
– the unique realities of natural disasters make them difficult to insure, leaving some Canadians financially vulnerable
The party proposes:
– launching, in partnership with provinces and territories, a new approach to address gaps in natural disaster insurance protection, including as a first step providing $31.7 million over three years to Public Safety Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to work with the Department of Finance Canada to stand-up a low-cost flood insurance program, aimed at protecting households at high risk of flooding and without access to adequate insurance. This would include offering reinsurance through a federal Crown corporation and a separate insurance subsidy program
– engaging provinces and territories on the development and implementation of such a program, as well as the requirements for its long-term fiscal sustainability, including cost-sharing and risk mitigation. In parallel, the Department of Finance and Public Safety Canada will engage with industry on solutions to earthquake insurance and other evolving climate-related insurance market challenges
– to raise awareness of flood potentials, providing $15.3 million over three years to Public Safety Canada to create a publicly accessible online portal where Canadians can access information on their exposure to flooding.
Crypto Assets
The party states that:
– ongoing turbulence in crypto-asset markets, and the recent high-profile failures of crypto trading platform FTX, and of Signature Bank, have demonstrated that crypto-assets can threaten the financial well-being of people, national security, and the stability and integrity of the global financial system
– to protect Canadians from the risks that come with crypto-assets, there is a clear need for different orders of government to take an active role in addressing consumer protection gaps and risks to our financial system
– it is working closely with regulators and provincial and territorial partners to protect Canadians from crypto-currency risks, including with respect to their ownership by pension plans
Border Security
The party states that:
– to promote international tourism, it proposes to expand eligibility for the Electronic Travel Authorization Program to low-risk, trusted travellers from additional visa-required countries—a service which is currently available only in Brazil. This will help make Canada a more attractive destination for trusted travellers, while allowing the government to focus resources where it matters most, such as on screening higher-risk travellers. The cost of this measure is $50.8 million over four years in forgone revenue
Asylum Seekers
The party states that:
– access to legal representation, information, and advice ensures that Canada’s asylum process is fair for everyone, and makes the process more efficient. For asylum seekers who are unable to pay for legal support, the federal government helps fund legal aid services in partnership with provinces and territories
– to that end, it proposes to provide $43.5 million in 2023-24 to Justice Canada to maintain federal support for immigration and refugee legal aid services
The Role of Government
The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on the role of government in the context of the meaning and purpose of life.
Stewardship & Accountability
Fiscal Plan
The party states that:
– recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be challenging. Canadians have scarified enough, and ordinary people shouldn’t have to pay for the recovery
– thanks to policies of prior governments, good jobs, a clean environment, quality health care, and a dignified retirement are further away than ever for many Canadians
– it is proud to have a fiscal plan that will jump-start rebuilding, while making life easier for ordinary people.
– Jagmeet and the New Democrat team are ready to make the richest pay their fair share towards the recovery, while delivering the help that people need now
Economic Recovery
The party states that:
– to build back from COVID-19, it’s essential to make investments that pay off where it counts – in communities and families. Its plan will make historic investments to jump-start economic growth, get people back to work, and make life better for everyone
– strengthening public services, creating good jobs in every community, and delivering help to those who need it most are core to its recovery plan
– its progressive revenue and spending measures will reduce in inequality and help make life more affordable for ordinary people
– in all cases, it will manage debt and deficits responsibly, borrowing when required to rebuild and defend the services that Canadians and their families rely on, and moving to balance when it is prudent to do so. Canada’s long-run finances will be fiscally sustainable according to the PBO’s fiscal sustainability measures
– by assisting the provinces in pharmacare, health care and child care, it will help to relieve the fiscal sustainability squeeze impacting the vast majority of Canadian provinces
Revenues
The party states that:
– its approach to raising revenues will put people first, tackle the inequality crisis facing our country, strengthen the integrity of the tax system, and ensure that large, profitable corporations and the very richest pay a little bit more
– while profitable corporations benefit tax breaks, Canadian families are falling behind. It proposes to roll corporate tax cuts back to their 2010 levels, or 18%, while maintaining the small business tax rate at its current level
– for the highest income individuals in Canada (those making over $210,000), it will increase the top marginal tax rate by two points to 35 percent
– those at the very top – super-rich multi-millionaires with over $10 million in wealth – will be asked to pay more towards our shared services with a 1% wealth tax
– to make the tax system fairer and more progressive, it also propose to increase the amount of investment profits subject to capital gains taxation to 75%, the rate that was in place in 2000: 88 per cent of this billion-dollar benefit currently goes to the richest 1% of Canadians
– it will also strengthen enforcement to stop tax evaders and others who have benefited from offshore tax havens for too long, including forcing corporations to prove the economic substance of their offshore transactions, closing tax loopholes like the CEO stock option deduction, and reviewing and reprofiling tax expenditures that don’t benefit everyday Canadians
– to help address housing speculation, it advocates a 20% foreign buyers tax on purchases of residential property by foreign corporations or people who are not citizens or permanent residents
Tax Reform
The party states that:
– important government services need to be funded sustainably
– the COVID-19 pandemic has driven tax and service inequalities even deeper than before. While millions of families and small businesses have been pushed to the brink during the pandemic, Canadian billionaires are $78 billion richer since the first lockdown in 2020 – and counting
The party advocates:
– to protect family budgets and force big corporations and big polluters to start paying what they owe, raising revenues through new, fair and progressive taxation sources to make the investments Canadians need to thrive
– to prevent profiteering during the pandemic, a temporary COVID-19 excess profit tax that puts an additional 15% tax on large corporate windfall profits during the pandemic, targeting large corporations that took publicly-funded COVID-19 wage subsidies and turned around and paid out executive bonuses, executed stock buy-backs, or paid shareholder dividends
– to make the tax system fairer and ensure that the wealthiest individuals are paying their fair share, increasing the capital gains inclusion rate to 75 percent
– boosting the top marginal tax rate two points, implementing a luxury goods tax on things like yachts and private jets, and a new wealth tax
– to ensure that large, profitable corporations are contributing to important services and infrastructure, rolling back corporate income tax cuts by three percentage points to 2010 levels
– ensuring that internet giants like Facebook, Google and Amazon pay their fair share of taxes, like other companies
– to boost the integrity of our tax system and combat tax evasion, taking measures to close loopholes that include eliminating bearer shares, compelling companies to prove the economic reason for their offshore transactions, and improving transparency on taxes paid by large corporations
– boosting compliance funding to Canada Revenue Agency’s enforcement section dealing with international and corporate taxation, to ensure that companies can’t evade new measures
– making investments to manage debt and deficits responsibly, borrowing when required to defend important services, and moving towards balance in the future when it’s prudent to do so
Electoral Reform
The party states that:
– generations of Canadians have built strong democratic institutions, but the first-past-the-post voting system is out of date and not working as well as it should. Too often, majority governments are elected with only a minority of support, leaving many people disillusioned feeing that their voice is not being heard
– the party currently in power promised to deliver reform that would ensure that every vote, and to make 2015 the very last federal election to be held under the first-past-the-post electoral system; but once in power, it broke that promise and turned its back on progressive democratic reforms.
– to make the voting system fairer and ensure that everyone’s vote counts, it is committed to implementing mixed-member proportional representation, including establishment of an independent citizen’s assembly to recommend the best way to implement it for the next election, to ensure both local representation and a federal government that reflects the voters’ choice of parties and a referendum once voters have had an opportunity to experience the new system, to confirm their choice
– young people are increasingly engaged in the world, and many are worried about facing a future with rising inequality and catastrophic climate change: often they can see themselves paying the biggest price for the decisions governments are making today. They should have a say in their future: if they are old enough to work and pay taxes, they are old enough to vote. It’s time to lower the voting age to 16
– to address the threat of outside interference in elections, it advocates action to combat the publication of disinformation and “fake news” online, the party advocates holding social media platforms to their responsibility to flag and remove fraudulent accounts, and to respond promptly to harassment, threats, and hate speech
Government Accountability
The party states that:
– ethical government is essential for a healthy democracy, and when people lose that trust, everyone suffers. It undermines democracy
– it advocates immediate steps to boost accountability, end insider benefits and take the influence of big money out of government
– the conflict of interest regime needs to be strong, comprehensive and impose real penalties when politicians break the rules. It advocates tougher penalties, and a ban on cash-for-access events to prohibit government officials from accepting donations from anyone whose private interest could be benefited by their decisions
– in view of recent events, it advocates formally prohibiting corporations facing criminal charges from lobbying elected officials. Prosecutions of corporate crime must be thorough and completely independent of political interference
– it advocates working the provinces towards abolishing the Senate the Senate, which is undemocratic, unaccountable, and does not represent the people, and in the meantime preventing Senators from holding up legislation that has already been adopted by the elected Members of Parliament
– it advocates introduction of an ethical, social and environmental screen on government procurement, so that Canadians can be confident that their tax dollars are not going to pay for bribes in foreign countries, or pollution that will have to be cleaned later
– it also advocates empowering the Auditor General to review taxpayer-funded government advertising to ensure it is non-partisan
Services
The party advocates:
– restoration of door-to-door mail delivery to all communities that lost it under prior governments, and protect it against future cuts as an important service
– implementation of a service guarantee, requiring departments to establish and publish binding service standards for Employment Insurance, veterans support, Indigenous services, passports, CRA call centers, and other services
Peace and International Relations
The party believes that Canadian interests are best served by a strong and principled foreign policy based on human rights, multilateralism, and the best interests of global peace and security.
The party states that:
– it advocates standing up to China with a strong and coherent strategy to defend Canadian interests at home and abroad, including working with the nation’s allies to lead a robust and coordinated international response to China’s disregard of the rule of law, calling out human rights abuses by China, standing with Hong Kong pro-democracy asylum seekers, and providing coordinated support for those facing threats by Chinese entities in Canada
– it believes that Canada has an important role to play in helping the world’s most vulnerable. Under the current government, international assistance spending has fallen to the lowest levels in 50. It is committed to boosting international development assistance to 0.7 percent of Gross National Income
– Canada must also do its fair share to help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, including alleviating poverty, ensuring decent work, protecting the rights of Indigenous communities and supporting global peace and justice
– Canada has an important role to play in ensuring that long-term strategies are in place to strengthen health systems in developing countries, including contributing more to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to end these epidemics and support heath care systems in developing countries
– it is committed to upholding the rights of women and girls as a central purpose of foreign policy, and we will step up efforts to promote gender equality abroad with a strong international agenda to promote rights and security and access to education for women and girls, including ensuring that women have a seat at the peace table
– it advocates holding Canadian companies to a high standard of corporate social responsibility at home and abroad
– it advocates making Canada a force for peace, including support for nuclear disarmament, recommitting to peacekeeping, and make sure that Canadian-made weapons are not fuelling conflict and human rights abuses abroad
– recognizing that both Palestinians and Israelis have the right to live in safety and security, it proposes working towards a just and lasting two-state solution between Israel and Palestine that respects human rights and upholds international law.
– Canada must play an active and constructive role in advancing peace, beginning by suspending arms sales to Israel until the end of the illegal occupation
– Canada must also take a global leadership role in helping low-income countries deal with the impacts of climate change, including financing to help protect the people who are most vulnerable to climate change, as well as living up to new, robust emissions reductions targets here at home
Foreign Trade
The party states that:
– that trade is essential for national economic success
– however, trade deals should be fair, respect human rights, protect the environment, and put the interests of Canadian workers and communities first
– it supports fair trade that broadens opportunity in all areas of the country, while protecting our industries and upholding labour standards, environmental protections and human rights around the world
– it will always defend Canadian workers, protect supply management, stand up against unfair tariffs
The party advocates:
– transparency in trade negotiations, so that Canadians can clearly understand the costs and benefits of any proposed agreement and have their say before it’s signed
– direct public engagement on the expected costs and benefits of potential trade deals, as well as ensuring that all trade agreements are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
– evaluating all potential trade deals for their social, environmental and gendered impact on Canadians
– ensuring that trade agreements should have enforceable labour, human rights and environmental protections, including protection against measures that could increase the cost of pharmaceuticals, weaken cultural protections, or undermine privacy rights
– protecting Canadian businesses working to transition to low-carbon processes, and border carbon adjustments to level the playing field on imports from areas without a carbon price
– modernizing trade remedy systems and, and ensuring that trade unions have full standing in trade cases and the ability to initiate trade disputes, as is the case in other countries
National Defense & Veterans
Veterans
The party states that:
– in honour of the service they provided, Canadian veterans should be offered the best care and support possible when they come home
– previous governments have denied and clawed back benefits, taken veterans to court, and cut access to basic care, failing to improve long wait lists and leaving billions in earmarked money unspent. Years of court cases and broken promises have deepened disappointment and mistrust among veterans
The party advocates:
– working with veterans to design a system that provides fair benefits to all veterans, including equal access to lifetime pensions
– ending backlogs and implementing high-quality, personalized service delivery by providing one caseworker for every twenty-five veterans, hiring more disability adjudicators, implementing automatic approvals for the most common injuries, and improving services that are delivered by phone and online
– providing care and support at the time of separation, and ensuring that benefits are in place prior to release from service
– to support disabled veterans and their families, expanding the caregiver allowance to include more people
– working with partners in community services and the veterans community to end veteran homelessness
– ensuring that taxes earmarked for veterans care actually gets spent on it, and automatically carrying forward all annual lapsed spending in Veterans Affairs
– making the Veterans Ombudsman fully independent so they can report transparently and directly to the public
Defense
The party states that:
– Canada’s military is responsible for three important roles – defending the nation, protecting Canadians at home, and contributing to a more stable, peaceful world through operations abroad
– during the pandemic, members of the military took on the critical role of providing care to our seniors in long term care, exposing terrible conditions that led to thousands of COVID-19 deaths
– the military currently has outdated equipment, inadequate support and an unclear strategic mandate
– it advocates ensuring that our troops have the equipment, training, and support they need to do the difficult and dangerous work they are asked to do, including ensuring that funding is adequate to support national defence and international commitments, with a renewed priority of advancing multilateral peacekeeping initiatives around the world
– it advocates bringing search and rescue response times up to international standards, and ensuring that capabilities are sufficient to meet the needs of the North
– in contracting for new military equipment, including ships and fighter jets, it will ensure maximum industrial benefits and jobs, to help ensure the survival of healthy shipbuilding and aerospace industries
– it opposes privatization of services on Canadian Forces bases
– it envisions a military where Canadian Armed Forces members can work safely, get the support they need, and count on fair policies to govern their work, including making mental health support for members and their families a priority
– it is also committed to ending sexual harassment and assault in the military. To support survivors of sexual misconduct and address a culture of silence and impunity that extends right to the top of the chain of command, it will immediately implement the recommendations of the Deschamps Report, including establishing independent oversight and accountability for sexual harassment and assault in the military
– it will will also ensure that recruitment and retention efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces reflect the diversity of Canada
– finally, it will reform the universality of service principle to make sure that ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members are not unfairly pushed out of service
Criminal Justice & Public Safety
Public Safety & Reconciliation
The party states that:
– it believes government must work to end systemic discrimination against Indigenous peoples in the justice system
– in accordance with Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action 30, 31 and 32, it proposes to remove most mandatory minimums, increase the discretion of judges during sentencing, ensure bail programs are culturally appropriate, bolster funding for community justice programs that focus on healing and restorative justice rather than incarceration, and upholding the use of Gladue principles in court proceedings
– it will work with Indigenous communities to enhance community safety and develop a First Nations justice and policing strategy including making First Nations Policing an essential service with long term, sufficient and equitable funding, while taking steps to end discriminatory policing practices like carding
– it believes that Inuit should have control over policing in their own communities, and advocates allowing the Inuit to independently oversee policing in Nunavut, while working with the Inuit to develop a long-term strategy for recruiting and retaining Inuit and Inuktitut speakers to work in community safety roles
– it advocates upholding and strengthening the Directive on Civil Litigation Involving Indigenous Peoples, to end to costly and adversarial legal battles with Indigenous communities
Public Safety
The party states that:
– building a sense of community safety is not just about the absence of crime – It’s about making sure that everyone matters, that we address the root causes of crime, and that the justice system treats everyone fairly
– focusing on increasing social inclusion, promoting public health, ensuring food security, access to education, affordable housing and increasing youth engagement, reduces the risk of crime. But when crime threatens and safety is at risk, there’s much more that the federal government can do to protect Canadians and foster safer communities for the long term
– police accountability is an important way to make our communities safer. It’s past time to put in place robust and independent civilian oversight of the RCMP
The party advocates:
– review of the RCMP’s budget and the RCMP Act in order to ensure public accountability
– release of all use-of-force incidents by the RCMP a full review of these practices
– to end police violence, implementation of a federal use-of-force standard with a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate use-of-force, and overhauling federal police training to ensure that every officer receives robust and ongoing de-escalation, implicit-bias and cross-cultural training throughout their career
– increased investment in non-police interventions, such as mental health and addiction supports
– victims should have access to services and supports such as counselling, referrals, police and court-related services, and a voice in decisions that may impact their safety
– to deal with to national security, including foreign interference and espionage, terrorism and cybercrime, by working with international allies, enhancing real-time oversight of security services, and fully respecting the privacy and Charter rights of all Canadians, and strengthening protection for Canadians who are victims of foreign interference and threats
White Supremacism
The party states that:
– it’s time for the federal government to tackle white supremacism, terrorism and the growing threat of hate crimes targeting communities
– it advocates immediate work to ensure that all major cities have dedicated hate crime units within local police forces, and to convene a national working group to counter online hate
– to reduce the number of lives lost to gun crime, it advocates keeping assault weapons and illegal handguns off our streets, and tackling gun smuggling and organized crime
– to protect communities against gangs, it advocates ensuring community access to funding for anti-gang projects that help deter at-risk youth from joining gangs
– to address radicalization, focusing on preventing youth from falling prey to violent extremism, including through support for community-led initiatives
Crimes & Courts
The party states that:
– Canada continues to face a justice system that is overburdened, slow and doesn’t treat everyone fairly
– it advocates restoring the independence of the judiciary by reducing reliance on mandatory minimums and allowing trial judges to have greater discretion in sentencing
– to advance reconciliation, it advocates ensuring that Gladue principles are consistently applied in court proceedings, and uphold the importance of community-based and restorative justice approaches
– it will proactively expunge criminal records for Canadians convicted of minor cannabis possession. Too many people are still burdened with criminal records for simple possession – records that affect their employment opportunities and their ability to travel
– to ensure that the most vulnerable have access to legal, it advocates increased federal funding for legal aid programs across the country
Role of Government
The party states that:
– a nation must be based on a sense of belonging, of participating in a common national project, and sharing the same values. It’s only when these sentiments are widely shared that we can develop the trust and common understanding necessary for our society and institutions to function
– over the past decades, the government of Canada has pursued a policy of official multiculturalism that encourages immigrants to keep the values and culture they left behind instead of integrating into Canadian society and adopting Canadian values and culture
– the current government has pushed this ideology even further into a form of extreme multiculturalism, the prime minister describing Canada as the first post-national state, with no core identity
– in a free society, immigrants have the right to cherish and maintain their cultural heritage. However, that doesn’t mean we have any obligation to help them preserve it, with government programs and taxpayers’ money. The vast majority of Canadians rightly expect them to learn about our history and culture, master one of our official languages, and adopt widely shared Canadian values
– our distinct values include: democracy; individual rights and freedoms, including freedom of religious belief and freedom to criticize religion; equality between men and women; the equal treatment of all citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation; the rule of law; separation of state and religion; tolerance and pluralism; and loyalty to the wider society instead of to one’s clan or tribe
– if we want to keep our country united, and ensure social cohesion, we must focus on what unites us as Canadians, not what divides us
Fiscal Stewardship
The party states that:
– in 2020-2021, the federal government recorded a $354 billion deficit, and Canada’s net debt surpassed $1 trillion (or $1000 billion) for the first time
– during the pandemic the government added hundreds of billion dollars to the deficit, so that by 2024 the total will reach a record $1.2 trillion ($1,200 billion)
– these deficits were entirely funded by money printed by the Bank of Canada, which has predictably fueled inflation and forced the Bank to hike interest rates
– Canadians are paying for the deficit indirectly, through higher prices on all goods and services
– according to data published in 2021 by the Parliamentary Budget Officer, if current policies are not adjusted, the federal government will only balance its budget again in the year 2070. A baby born in 2021 already owes more than $26,000 in federal government debt
The party advocates:
– in order to avoid passing on debt to our children, aggressively cutting spending and balancing the budget as quickly as possible
– reversing new spending programs announced by the current government
– eliminating the deficit by the end of a first mandate through fiscal prudence and spending cuts, including corporate welfare, foreign development aid, CBC, equalization payments, and funding for programs which are provincial or municipal responsibilities
– depoliticising the tax system and making it simpler and fairer, including particularly the elimination of targeted tax measures that are inefficient and serve no compelling public policy purpose
– cutting personal income taxes, corporate taxes, and the personal capital gains tax after the deficit has been eliminated, over the course of several budgets, as the fiscal room is found to allow it
Parties, Territories & Municipalities
The party states that:
– the original purpose of the system of equalization payments was to ensure that all Canadians have access to a similar level of services from their provincial government, regardless of whether they live in richer or poorer provinces, and as a way to unite the country
– in current practice, equalization payments encourage recipient provinces to maintain large public sectors, keep taxes high, and intervene more in their economies, which drives out investment and lowers employment and productivity, depriving them of incentives to make their economies more competitive and develop their natural resources
– provinces should not be receiving equalization payments for decades, just as individuals should not be receiving welfare cheques all their lives
The party advocates:
– reducing the total amount of equalization payments to provinces, and making sure that only the provinces with the greatest needs benefit from it
– establishment of a parliamentary committee to review and make recommendations on a new formula that will avoid the welfare trap and provide poorer provinces with the right incentives to adopt pro-growth, economic policies and reduce their dependence on federal money
– ensuring that the new formula respects our Constitution, makes provincial governments more responsible for their policy decisions, and is fair for citizens of all provinces
Interprovincial Trade
The party states that:
– more than a century and a half after Canada’s founding, Canadians still cannot buy, sell, or work freely within their own country. In order to protect local special interests, provincial governments have adopted all kinds of measures that erect barriers to trade and labour mobility
– in some cases, it is easier for a Canadian company to sell its product in another country than in another province or territory. This hinders competition and impedes growth, while forcing Canadian consumers to pay more for good sand services
– Section 121 of the Constitution states that goods must be “admitted free into each of the other provinces.” However, in the 2018 Comeau case, the Supreme Court ruled that measures which have the effect of limiting trade are unconstitutional only if it can be demonstrated that this is their “primary purpose.” This level of proof would be extremely difficult to establish in most cases
– according to a recent Statistics Canada study, the level of trade within Canada corresponds to what would be expected if each province imposed a 7% tariff on “imports” of goods and services from other provinces
– a 2016 study published in the Canadian Journal of Economics concluded that interprovincial trade barriers cost Canadians roughly $100 billion in lost economic opportunities annually, equivalent to $7,500 per household every year
The party advocates:
– reasserting the authority and leadership of the federal government on internal trade
– use of section 91(2) of the Constitution, which gives Ottawa exclusive power to regulate matters of international and interprovincial trade, to force provinces to apply the principle of mutual recognition where applicable
– appointment of a Minister of Internal Trade whose sole responsibility will be to conduct studies, raise public awareness, counteract the influence of special interests that benefit from interprovincial barriers, and put pressure on provincial governments to get rid of them
International Relations
The party states that:
– the exclusive priority of the government of Canada on the international scene should be to manage our relations with other countries in order to protect and further the interests of Canadians
– however, there is a trend to dilute national sovereignty, and to favour increased international policy coordination as well as the redistribution of wealth from rich to poor countries under the supervision of the United Nations
– over the past several years Canada has signed many UN treaties, accords and compacts on issues ranging from global warming to migration and sustainable development, that tie us to this corrosive globalist agenda
– the United Nations is a dysfunctional organisation where non-democratic countries, because of their large numbers, have the most influence
– existing aid programs discourage enterprise and innovation in poorer countries, creating a cycle of dependency and helping authoritarian governments stay in power
The party advocates:
– promoting a common-sense foreign policy focused on the security and prosperity of Canadians, not an ideological approach that compromises our interests
– continuing to work closely with our allies to maintain a peaceful international order, while avoiding foreign conflicts such as the war in Ukraine unless we have a compelling strategic interest in being involved
– prioritizing relations with our main trading and defence partner, the US, to ensure continued prosperity and security
– withdraw from all UN commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Compact on Migrations and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, that threaten our sovereignty, and reduce our presence in UN institutions to a minimum
– liberalize trade with as many countries as possible, while ensuring our security and protecting our economy from the threat of potentially hostile foreign investors
– saving billions of dollars by phasing out development aid, and focusing Canadian international assistance exclusively on emergency humanitarian action in cases such as health crises, major conflicts and natural disasters
Defense & Veterans’ Affairs
The party states that:
– successive governments have starved our military forces of funds, equipment and support, and broken their trust with those who made an exceptional personal commitment to put life and limb at risk in the interests of the nation
– the backbone of any military is the character of the men and women who serve. The fastest way to demoralize and undermine a country’s military is to fail to look after injured soldiers when they return home or to provide for the families of those who did not return. Until 2006, veterans injured or disabled during military service received a tax-free lifetime disability pension under the Pension Act, as determined by a veteran’s disability assessment, including support and survivor benefits for spouses and dependent children
– the New Veterans Charter replaced those pensions with a one-time lump sum disability payout that is wholly inadequate, leaving many injured and disabled veterans in dire financial straits and creating two classes of veterans
– the Parliamentary Budget Officer has calculated that the Pension for Life provides the average veteran lifetime payments less than one third of what would have been provided under the Pension Act
The party advocates:
– to recognize and respect the unique sacrifices of those who serve and have served in Canada’s Armed Forces, enshrining in legislation the country’s obligations to our veterans in a Military Covenant between the government and those who serve in the Armed Forces
– reinstating the fair disability pension as previously provided for by the Pension Act. The pension will apply retroactively to 2006 and lump sum payments received since then will be treated as advance payments
– a line-by-line review of the New Veterans Charter (including the Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act of 2011), to determine which policies and programs should be retained, simplify the system and make it easier to navigate
– reemphasizing the legislative guarantee of the “Benefit of doubt” standard under the Pension Act
Firearms
The party states that:
– the use of firearms has always been part of Canadian tradition and culture. Today, there are over 2 million hunters, ranchers, trappers, farmers, target shooters, recreational shooters and collectors who possess firearms in our country
– despite this group being exceptionally law abiding and the most highly vetted segment in the Canadian population, the existing firearms legislation unfairly targets them, does not respect their property rights, and is highly arbitrary
– since 2019, the current government has pursued a course of highly aggressive restrictions that criminalize most responsible and peaceful firearm owners. Firearm owners are currently subject to the most hostile assault on their rights in over a generation
– the Firearms Act continues to classify firearms into different categories for reasons which frequently have nothing to do with their function. Firearms can also be assigned new classifications at the whim of a bureaucrat. What is legal one day can become illegal the next
– under the licensing system of the Act, the ownership of firearms has become a privilege that can be revoked or altered at any moment. Legitimate gun owners can lose their property and even have their life ruined by being criminally charged through their inaction (by not keeping their paperwork up to date for example) or due to the moving goalposts of Canadian firearms law
The party advocates:
– protecting society from the criminal misuse of firearms and prioritizing the deterrence and punishment of criminals while providing a legal framework that protects the property rights of firearm owners and treats them with fairness and respect
– replacing the Firearms Act and supporting legislation with new legislation that will prioritize effective measures to improve public safety and fight crime in Canada
– replacing the costly and burdensome licensing system with an efficient lifetime certification system for firearms owners following mandatory vetting, safety training and testing
– requiring that all firearms categories be based on function, not on looks or arbitrary political whims, and remove restrictions which unfairly target sport shooters, but have no deterrent effect on criminals
– repealing the government’s 2020 cabinet decision to ban 1500 types of firearms
– repealing Bill C-71, which imposes a set of new restrictions on licensed gun owners and businesses that sell firearms, and Bill C-21, which freezes the sale and transfer of handguns and arbitrarily adds certain types of rifles and shotguns to the list of banned firearms
– mandating that all future changes to firearms regulation be completed through Parliament only, so that neither the RCMP nor bureaucrats are enabled to reclassify arms without the approval of Parliament
Right of Self-Defense
The party states that:
– under the current government, Canada has become a dramatically more dangerous place. After declining for decades, crime is on the rise and Canadians feel unsafe, even in their own homes
– one way to deter crime is to make it clear to criminals that there are laws and enforcement means in place that make it likely that they will be caught and severely punished. Another is the fear that their victims will defend themselves
– any justice system grounded in morality and reason allows self-defence. In Canada, this right is, however, inconsistently applied due to the law’s complexity and imprecision. There have been many cases over the past years when honest citizens who defended themselves against violent assailants were themselves charged and went on trial because they used force that was not deemed “reasonable in the circumstances” and “proportionate to the perceived threat.”
– the Criminal Code specifically makes it illegal to carry and use even non-lethal devices such as pepper spray as modes of defence against potential attackers. This makes women in particular even more defenceless and prone to fall victim to aggression and sexual violence.
– section 34 of the Criminal Code states in what circumstances individuals can use force to defend themselves or others if force is being used or threatened against them or others. Section 35 recognizes certain circumstances where an individual is justified in using physical force against another person to protect his or her property from being entered, taken, damaged or destroyed.
– according to at least one experienced lawyer [see party policy statements for name], although the Criminal Code was amended in 2013 to clarify these self-defence sections, the law remains imprecise, and has been dealt with on a very uneven basis, being primarily driven by the individual opinions and emotions of police and prosecutors. In at least one recent Manitoba case, a judge sentenced a homeowner to five years in prison for manslaughter in the death of a person who entered his house in the middle of the night and attacked him with a knife. The resident took the assailant’s weapon and stabbed him with it. The judge found that he had a right to protect himself but had gone beyond what was necessary for self-defence. Condemning a person to years in prison for having their assessment of a perceived threat in defending themselves while in a state of panic after being violently attacked, is clearly a breach of the universal human right to self-defence, and can be damaging to a defender’s mental health, family life, and livelihood
– victims of robbery are typically advised to call the police and avoid confrontation with assailants while waiting for the police to arrive, but police stations are often far away and it can take a long time for the police to arrive on the scene of a crime, particularly in rural areas
– Section 92 of the Criminal Code makes it illegal to possess and carry pepper spray for self-defence and punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years.
– Canadians should be able to defend themselves in circumstances where they are violently attacked or are victims of robbery in their own homes, without fear of criminal charges.
– everybody, and women in particular, should be allowed to carry effective means of self-defence against aggressors and rapists
The party advocates:
– amending section 34 of the Criminal Code to clarify and fortify the right to self-defence, and increase the burden of proof necessary to charge and convict victims who used force to defend themselves against a violent attacker
– amending section 35 of the Criminal Code to include the concept of the inviolability of one’s home, known as “Castle Doctrine,” that allows victims to use force (up to and including deadly force) to defend themselves against a violent intruder, free from legal prosecution.
– amending the Criminal Code to remove pepper spray from the list of prohibited weapons and make it legal to possess and carry it for self-defence.
Drugs
The party states that:
– marijuana is a gateway drug, impairs judgment and contributes to traffic fatalities
– pregnant mothers pass THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) to their pre-born children
– it would eliminate “drug injection sites” and re-criminalize the possession and sale of recreational marijuana
Points to Ponder: Good Government
Consider discussing the following with your local candidates, elected representatives, and the parties, and discussing with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and fellow parishioners:
The Role and Purpose of Government
Catholics have definite ideas about the purpose of life and, arising from that purpose, the proper roles of civil society, government, and other social institutions.
– Are those ideas shared by most Canadians? If not, to what extent can or should we share our ideas with other Canadian?
– Are any values held in common by most Canadians? If so, what are they, and how do they inform the proper role of government and other social institutions? For example, what do we owe each other, and what does the answer mean for government, charities, schools, etc.?
– Is it possible to meaningfully or responsibly define a role for government – and therefore a party’s platform – without reference to the proper role of government and other social institutions? Should Catholics look to political parties to share their views on the role and the purpose of government as a part of their platforms?
– the Government of Canada has recently published a Framework for Quality of Life (https://www160.statcan.gc.ca/infosheet-infofiche-eng.htm), and has instructed its ministers that “Across our work, we remain committed to ensuring that public policies are informed and developed through an intersectional lens, including applying frameworks such as Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) and the quality of life indicators in decision-making.” To what extent is the quality of life framework consistent with the principles and values of Catholic social teaching?
Truth, Respect & Good Governance
– Each of the mandate letters used to instruct its ministers at the time the current government assumed office explains that: “Canadians expect us to work hard, speak truthfully and be committed to advancing their interests and aspirations. When we make mistakes – as we all will – Canadians expect us to acknowledge them, and most importantly, to learn from them.” Has this standard been met by government and by each of the parties since this last election? To the extent it has not, what can or should individual Canadians do to encourage their governments to attain it?
– It is an unfortunate and nearly universal practice for our political parties, in framing their platforms and policy statements, to focus at least as much on what’s wrong with the other parties as they do on what’s right about themselves. How can we, as citizens and voters, help encourage parties to look for common ground, speak positively about one another, and voice their suggestions for improvement in respectful and collaborative terms?
Democratic Reform
– The federal government and several provincial governments collect and distribute money to political parties. How is such money divided between the parties? What arguments exist in favor of this practice? Are there arguments against it? Do recent scandals indicate, as some parties have charged, that the entire political financing system should be overhauled?
– Canada has long debated the advantages and disadvantages of first-past-the-post vs. proportional voting schemes. Should the present system be changed? If so, how?
– in recent years several parties have barred members who are otherwise in good standing from running, based on the candidates’ announcement of positions that are inconsistent with specific planks of a party’s platform. Are such practices consistent with good democratic principles? If so, when and under what conditions?
– It is very often the case that party members and candidates – including particularly rank-and-file members and staff members – are very good people, who sacrifice much in order to contribute to a better world. And it seems too seldom that we thank them, or have anything other than criticism to offer. What can we, as individuals, do to thank and support these selfless people?
Public – Private Partnerships
Cooperation between government and corporations or other private entities can be instrumental in accomplishing great common projects. On the other hand, unwatched they can become instruments of misuse.
– To what extent should public-private partnerships be allowed, for research, infrastructure development, or other purposes?
– What type(s) of entities should be considered when contemplating such partnerships? Local or foreign corporations? Non-profit or charitable organizations?
– How should such partnerships be monitored or regulated, in order to assure that arms-length relationships are maintained, and that principles of subsidiarity are respected?
– Should public universities be allowed or encouraged to engage in profit-making ventures such as research and development directed toward specific products or commercial goals, or major sports events? If so, how can the primary educational function of such institutions be maintained while respecting the independence and importance of educators?
– To what extent should governments, NGOs, or public-private partnerships be allowed or encouraged to engage in social or cultural engineering of other societies or cultures? Under what, if any, circumstances should aid be tied to social objectives such as birth control or ideological control?
Fiscal Responsibility
Chart 29 on the left below, which is taken from Canada’s 2023-2024 Budget, is a projection of federal debt over the next three decades. Table 2 on the right is taken from a report of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and projects debt over a much shorter period of time. Can the two charts be compared with each other meaningfully? If so, can they be reconciled? What, if any, questions or conclusions should Canadians draw from these charts?