Church Teaching The Proper Role of Government
The Church teaches that the proper role of government is to provide 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 & Good Order
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
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
Green Party of Ontario Democratic Reform
The party states that:
– the ‘first past the post’ electoral system means that politicians are being elected, sometimes with 35% of the votes cast in their favour
– it is not democratic for a party to receive less than 40% of the vote and yet have 100% of the power in the Legislature, which happens in most provincial elections
– in provincial elections, voter turnout in Ontario is lagging far below the national average
– proportional voting will demand party collaboration, encouraging consensus-building and compromise to create stronger, long-lasting policies
The party advocates:
– ranked ballots for municipal elections
– proportional representation provincially
– implementation of transparent rules for fair leaders’ debates, including representation of any party that achieved 2% of the overall popular vote in the previous election and qualifies for per vote funding in televised or streamed leaders’ debates
– reduction of donation limits to $1000 per individual, and campaign spending limits for political parties to $0.68 per elector
– lowering the provincial voting age to 16 to engage youth earlier and to create lifelong voting habits
– holding general elections on the weekend
– increased availability of advanced voting
– enforcing strict accessibility standards at voting places to ensure that those with physical disabilities or other mobility issues are able to vote without barrier
– a moratorium on the use of online voting provincially and municipally until strict rules, regulations and security procedures are developed to ensure the integrity of elections
– increasing the number of mobile polls at hospitals and residences for seniors and people living with disabilities that make it difficult to leave their home
– provide an online report card of MPPs voting record. This would include a link to each motion with an easy to understand summary, prepared by the government to ensure it is unbiased and non-partisan
– opposing whipping the vote. MPPs should not be allowed to be expelled from a party or face other consequences for not voting with party lines on non-confidence motions
– reversing centralization of power in the Leader’s Office by removing a party leader’s power to overturn nominated candidates that are duly nominated by local riding associations, and implementing legislative reforms to reduce the role of the leader’s office in committee appointments and the allocation of member questions
– requiring a five-year “cooling-off” period before an MPP can register as a lobbyist, similar to that implemented by the federal Lobbying Act
– preventing staff from lobbying for businesses and organizations they dealt with while in government for at least one year
– preventing public agencies from using taxpayer or ratepayer dollars to purchase seats at paid events where Ministers or the Premier is speaking
– restoring the Auditor General’s oversight over government advertising.
Stewardship Office & Tax Reform
The party advocates:
– creating a level playing field for all businesses in Ontario, ensuring that contracting is fair, open and consistent
– strengthening Whistleblower protections to ensure those who disclose information in the public interest are free from retaliation
Accountability
The party advocates:
– encouraging fair and open government, supporting implementation of Open Data principles by the Government of Ontario, the Legislature, agencies, local governments, and businesses that manage public data on behalf of the government, including creation of an Open Data Portal, where a broad range of government data from road traffic data, to resource extraction, to environmental reports, to government contracts, and expenses would be available for the public to access and use for data analysis
– capping executive salaries for the Ontario Public Service at double the Premier’s salary
– publishing expenses of all public officials’ online in a timely way under an Open Data strategy
Public Safety
The party advocates:
– supporting the increased use of restorative justice and other alternatives to the criminal justice system, and providing related public education
– training to promote a culture shift across police organizations to use a calm, patient, and de-escalating approach when officers engage members of the public in crisis, rather than the traditional authoritative and commanding manner
– improving the transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of civilian police oversight bodies according to the recommendations of the Tulloch Report
– creating a more diverse jury pool representative of the community by drawing potential jurors from the OHIP list instead of the MPAC list
– abolishing peremptory challenges/blocked jurors and increasing jury duty compensation to encourage participation
– limiting the maximum number of days that an inmate can be segregated to a total of 15 days as per the recommendation of the Ombudsman of Ontario
– ensuring that inmates with mental illness are not put in solitary confinement, and that they are provided with appropriate health care, and clearly articulate a commitment to transfer responsibility for provision of health care within correctional institutions to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
– amend the Coroners Act to require a mandatory inquest or an alternate coroner-led review process for all in-custody natural deaths
– amend the Corrections Act to include a constitutionally compliant framework governing searches that is based upon recognition of Charter rights
Ontario Liberal Party The Role & Purpose of Government
The party states that:
– the government’s job is to make sure that every person in the province has the skills and tools they need to get ahead and lead happy, healthy lives
– government is a force for good and should help people in their day to day lives
– government exists to do the things we cannot do alone
Stewardship of Office
Financial Responsibility
The party states that during its prior term in office it worked toward balancing the budget, and that it expected a $600 million surplus for 2017-2018.
The 2018 Provincial Auditor’s report states that:
– in 2017-2018 the provincial deficit increased by $3.1 billion
– its 2018 pre-election review highlighted that the government’s Pre-Election presentation of the Province’s finances was not reasonable, as it understated Ontario’s deficit and expense estimates by:
– failing to properly reflect the true financial impact of its Fair Hydro Plan’s electricity rate reduction, and
– forecasting pension revenues relating to the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to reduce expenses, and understating future pension expenses for the Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union Pension Plan, even though the government did not have the unilateral right to use funds in these pension plans without first reaching a formal agreement with the plans’ other sponsors
Services
The party states that during its prior term in office it:
– improved online access to provincial services
– improved democratic and electoral processes
The party advocates:
– creating a 24/7 Office of Customer Service to help those in need identify services
Democratic Reform
The party states that during its prior term in office it:
– to engage young voters earlier, allowed 16- and 17-year olds to preregister as voters
– permitted use of electronic vote tabulators to ensure fast and accurate vote counting
The party advocates introduction of legislation to strengthen the enforcement and investigative powers of Elections Ontario, to include oversight of nomination meetings
Extra-Provincial Affairs
The party has published no official statement concerning its policies regarding extra-provincial relationships.
Public Safety
To build a justice system that addresses root causes of violence, holds people accountable, and creates healthier and safer communities, the party advocates:
– encouraging community focused, fair, accountable and responsible police frameworks
– proposing a province-wide strategy to reduce gun violence
– to make the Ontario criminal justice system faster and fairer, establishing Community Justice Centres with support programs for marginalized and Indigenous offenders through targeted and culturally appropriate services
– simplifying family court processes by providing timely, case-specific advice through a triage-type assessment process and engaging the judiciary in a review of the rules of family law
– to improve representation on juries, using a broader OHIP source list, through further consultation with Indigenous communities and a review of juror compensation
– improving the justice system’s response to and community supports for survivors of sexual and domestic violence
– working to prevent human trafficking and supporting survivors
– working with Indigenous communities to end violence against Indigenous women
– to improve to safety, mental health supports, reintegration, and rehabilitative Programming in the correctional system, making historic investments in diversion, modern capital improvements and hundreds of additional staff
Ontario Libertarian Party The Role & Purpose of Government
The party states that:
– the essence of democracy is that the will of the people is being acted upon by Government, but today we have situations in which a small percentage of the voting population elects a government with majority power
– it does do not look at government as a sacrosanct body that cannot be questioned, but simply as the agency which has a monopoly on the legal use of force. Libertarians therefore address themselves to one basic question: What is the proper justification for the use of government’s coercive power? The Libertarian answer is that government power must be used only to protect the individual from the use of force or fraud by others.
Civil Rights
The party states
– that property rights are derived from the self ownership principle: if you own your body then you must also own what you produce with your labour. Property rights are therefore essential to individual liberty. One of the most fundamental rights in society is to own property
– without strengthened property rights, there is no incentive to work hard, save money and invest in property. When Government can arbitrarily and without compensation, take away and erode property rights, people are really little more than property managers for a Government owner
The party advocates:
– ending all privileges for government agents under the Ontario Trespass Act
– ending the authority of all Conservation Authorities and any other Department or Agency over privately owned property so that, for instance, the operator of a bar or restaurant can allow smoking on the premises without Government interference so long as the property owner is in agreement
– amending the Ontario Building Code Act so that it does not apply on a mandatory basis, and allowing property owners to use the Code as guidance if they like
– ending restrictions on off-grid solar installations
– ending the right of Municipal Bylaw inspectors to enter or inspect without uninvited or without a judge’s order
– reducing the Ontario Land Transfer Tax to a flat fee of $275 instead of the current fee that is based on the property value
Democratic Reform
To modernize democracy, the party advocates:
– enacting recall legislation
– adding a sunset clause on all new and existing legislation, meaning the legislation will have to be reviewed and voted on again in 5 years
– the power of referendum for certain types of legislation, including any new or increased level of taxation
– elimination of Government funding of political parties, including subsidies and tax credits
– establishment of a public inquiry into Government corruption similar to the Charbonneau Inquiry in Quebec
Stewardship of Office & Tax Reform
The party states that the Ontario government is over $310 billion in debt, and that at $1 billion per month, interest on debt is the third largest government expense
To reduce the size and scope of government, the party advocates ending all Government subsidies, including:
– ending all corporate grants and subsidies
– ending all grants and subsidies to individuals
– ending all grants and subsidies to not-for-profits
– ending funding via the Ontario Trillium Foundation ($136M annual)
– ending all subsidies to Municipalities / other levels of Government, local rate payers can pay for their own projects (taxpayers in Sudbury shouldn’t be paying for tunnels in Ottawa)
– ending corporate income taxation, of course corporations will still collect and remit HST initiate a balanced budget and debt repayment plan over 30 years
Because many people who might otherwise like the party’s ideas also like many aspects of Government the way it is now, the party advocates:
– rather than taking away direct programs and services that people receive from Government today, allowing the emergence of new and better ways to deliver programs and services to lead to a greater emphasis on non-government delivery of programs and services
Ontario New Democratic Party Stewardship of Office
The party states that:
– it will implement all suggestions of the provincial auditor to ensure money is spent properly, and invest the savings in services
– it supports investments that will make life better for everyone
– it will protect middle-class families from tax hikes and fee increases
– it will ensure that the wealthiest people and most profitable businesses pay their fair share for the services that make their success possible
– it will ensure that its investment in services is financially sustainable, in order end patterns of cuts and funding freezes
The party advocates:
– budgeting based only on known reliable tax revenues
– cracking down on excessive public sector executive compensation
– to address documents indicating that tax avoidance and evasion are rampant, lobbying the federal government to close loopholes
– acting on recommendations provided in 2012 to improve recovery of uncollected taxes
– returning the tax rate on corporate profits to 13% in a fair manner that allows businesses to plan
– closing a loophole that enables large corporations to qualify for small business exemptions
– maintaining the one-third reduction for small business income tax rates
– raising income tax on amounts earned over $220,000 by one percentage point, and over $300,000 by two percentage points
– adding a tax surcharge on vehicles costing more than $90,000
– returning Hydro 1 to the eight independent offices
– working with the Information and Privacy Commissioner to increase governmental transparency and public access to information, while protecting the privacy of Ontarians
– eliminating the cost for freedom of information requests
– to ensure independent oversight of Ontario’s health care, brining under the oversight of the provincial Ombudsman
Services
The party advocates:
– launching a $300 million Better Ontario Fund, to provide community-based not-for-profits with grants to support life-improving initiatives like recreation programs for low income young people, services that help newcomers integrate, and programs to keep seniors engaged in the community.
Democratic Reform
The party states that it shouldn’t be too much for people to expect their government to be straight with them, to tell them when things are going well and come clean when they’re not.
The party advocates:
– introduction of a new code of conduct for members of provincial parliament
– convoking an electoral reform commission
– restoring enumeration of provincial voters by Elections Ontario
– creation of an elections finance commission to review and provide regular recommendations on updating provincial election finance law, with a primary focus on fairness, with members from Elections Ontario, Civil Society, Academia, legal and civic organizations, and nominees from major political parties
– asking the commission to provide recommendations on proportional representation, and preventing majority governments from making fundamental changes in democratic functions
Criminal Justice and Public Safety
The party states that communities strive best in safety and security, and that this means freedom from the fear of crime and violence, within a system of justice that gives us confidence, including safe streets and renewed trust in the police
The party advocates:
Police
– expanding Mobile Crisis teams to pair police with mental health professionals by providing $5 million annually to expand a new dedicated A Crisis Is Not A Crime fund
– banning carding
– promotion of police training on systemic racism
– reversing privatization of police forces
– ensuring that provincial, municipal, and First Nations police services have the training, tools, and resources needed to keep the public safe and build lasting trust with the communities they serve, including an emphasis on community policing, transparency and accountability, and recognizing the new realities of modern law enforcement
– increased funding for cold case investigations, including missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls
– prioritizing enforcement of laws against gender-based violence
Courts
– clearing of court backlogs, including seeking reforms to find modernized ways to deal with otherwise non-criminal violation of bail conditions
– modernizing court operations and technology, in order to ensure that court time is used efficiently
– seeking to ensure that Ontario does its part to ensure that ensure that juries are truly representative
Corrections
– ending understaffing in correctional facilities, and ensuring that correctional facilities have the equipment they need to remain safe
– ending the practice of punitive solitary confinement
– ending the practice of holding immigration detainees in provincial correctional facilities, which are already overcrowded
– investigate best practices for offering addiction and mental health services in provincial jails, in accordance with recommendations of the Independent Advisor on Corrections Reform and in consultation with front-line staff and health professionals
– investing more than $15 million to hire 300 additional probation and parole officers, to reinforce public confidence and ensure stable community corrections for people in the system
Public Safety
The party advocates:
– in view of criticism of private contractors by the provincial auditor, for cutting corners by using too few plows, skimping on salt and de-icer, and other practices, returning highway and road maintenance to public service
– putting accessible defibrillators in community spaces such as large businesses, apartment buildings, and community centers
– to improve concussion protocols in amateur sports, working with amateur athletes and associations to establish a biennial review of best practices
New Blue Party of Ontario The party has released no official statement concerning its policies on:
– the role & purpose of government
– stewardship & reform
– provinces, territories, municipalities
– peace, good order, and public safety
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario Stewardship of Office
Taxes & Accountability
The party states that the province has a spending problem, rather than a revenue problem, due to government-wide inefficiencies
The party advocates:
– in order to control waste and mismanagement in government, an open, line-by-line audit of government spending
– an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the provincial deficit scandal and propose solutions
– returning to a balanced budget on a responsible timeframe
– centralization of government purchasing
– to make the financing of projects more transparent, separating funding for energy projects from electricity bills
– cancelling and renegotiating energy contracts in the pre-construction and phase
– declaring a moratorium on new energy contracts
– creating a 75% refundable tax credit for child care costs for children aged 0-15
Democratic Reform
– to improve public trust, prohibiting government agencies, boards, and commissions from purchasing attendance at political events
Public Safety
The party states that:
– every Ontario family deserves to live in safety, with peace of mind that they will be protected from gun and gang violence
– to assist survivors of domestic violence, which has increased during COVID‐19, and other crimes like human trafficking, it is investing an additional $2.1 million over three years to support victims of crime. This support is in addition to funding provided through various existing programs to help victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes
The party advocates:
– ensuring that provincial laws are up to the task of fighting 21st century issues, while respecting victims and law-abiding families
– ensuring that the brave women and men in law enforcement have the resources they need to keep us safe
– restoring funding to the anti-guns-and-gangs units in Ottawa and Toronto
– dedicating resources to fight organized crime, including the production and smuggling of contraband and illicit drugs, as well as child exploitation and human trafficking
– respecting the vulnerable, by committing resources to combat domestic abuse, including elder abuse
– investing $30 million per year to hire more corrections, probation and parole officers to hold criminals accountable and protect victims
Points to Ponder Good Government
Consider asking your local candidates, elected representatives, and the parties, the following questions, and discussing their answers 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 the proper roles of civil society, government, and other social institutions.
– Are those ideas shared by most Canadians?
– 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 purpose of life or other social institutions? Should Catholics look to political parties to share their views on the purpose of life and the propre role of government as a part of their platforms?
Respect & Good Governance
– 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?
– We have found, in our conversations with candidates and even the most partisan party adherents, that the greatest number of people agree on far more points of right, wrong, good, and bad than they disagree on. Is it possible for us to start conversations by assessing our points of agreement, and the things we have already achieved, before leaping to differences and deficiencies that might tend to distance us from one another?
– The Church is clear on the conviction that elected leaders should seek to serve the common good, bringing with them to their work deep feelings of humility and deep commitments to wisdom. How can we, as citizens and voters, encourage wisdom, humility and respect in those we elect, rather than selfishness and exclusion?
Democratic Reform
– The federal government and several provincial gov
ernments 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 that the entire political financing system should be overhauled?
– Canada and Ontario 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?– 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
The charts and tables below are reproduced from the 2021 Provincial Budget. Due in part to the pandemic, the province forecasts deficits for at least each of the next four years, to make a total of at least six consecutive years of deficits, with a total accumulated debt of $297,340,000,000 by the end of 2022.
– How much debt can Ontario responsibly carry, without endangering programs, the economy, or future generations?
– In the 2021 budget, health care and other social programs account for approximately 47% of expenses; education approximately 22%, interest on debt approximately 7%; and public safety and other ‘core services’ the remainder. Does that represent a proper balance?