Canadian Politics – Conservative Party of Canada
Fiscal Pragmatism, Free Marketers & Social Conservatives
Sep 15, 2008
The Conservative Party of Canada was created in 2003 after a merger between the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance occurred in a movement seeking to “unite the right”. The party as led by Stephen Harper has formed the Government of Canada since their victory in 2006 which secured a minority government.
Economic Policy
The Conservative Party of Canada models itself very much on the principles of free market capitalism, free trade, and tax cuts being preferred methods of wealth redistribution rather than social programmes.
The CPC is also very much in favour of military spending, both on equipment and on exercises abroad.
The Conservative Party of Canada campaigned and followed through upon a promise to reduce the federal GST from 7% to 5% - a move that garnered much support and credibility for Harper's leadership.
Social Policy
The Conservative Party of Canada is generally a socially conservative party, the only socially conservative option amongst the major Canadian parties. The party stands in opposition to the legalization of marijuana, and was the only party to stand firmly against the proposition of same-sex marriage. Regarding crime, the Conservative Party of Canada promises firmer legislation for those convicted of offenses, and the view espoused by party leadership thus far seems to place emphasis on punishment rather than rehabilitation. The Conservative sponsored copyright bill, Bill C-61, has caused a fair bit of controversy on the internet due to the impact it would have on consumer rights versus distributor rights – particularly the stipulation making circumvention of DRM illegal.
Election Campaign 2008
The major planks of the CPC's platform for the election of October 14 include the following:
- Additional support for small business owners in the form of tax cuts, increased exemption from capital gains taxes, and a $75 million venture capital fund to be administered by the Business Development Bank of Canada.
- Opening up regulated airline and uranium mining sectors, allowing for increased foreign investment, with a strong commitment to concerns of national security and maintaining and improving relations with Canada's trading partners.
- Offering new opportunities to entrepreneurs and the self-employed by creating a plan that allows them to opt-in to such plans as Employment Insurance and maternity / parental benefits, subject to an individually adjusted premium – as overseen by a newly created Canada Employment Insurance Financing Board.
For more information on the Conservative Party of Canada, visit http://www.conservative.ca/
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