Conservative Party of Canada //

Conservative Party's New Policies

By

James Bredin

Stopped reading new policies because I almost went to sleep,

Are we turning into Liberals following along like sheep?

If this is an example of the changes and where we're all going?

I hate to think of it but I feel the party has stopped growing.

The old boldness has been smothered and botched by blandness for sure,

And if we continue down this track, we will end up in the sewer,

'Cause bland and Belinda may be beautiful but I hate to say,

We will give the country to the Paul Martin Liberals on a tray.

Combine that with Belindas policies and it just won't cut,

We need someone to stop the country from going down in a rut,

May as well call Red Tory Joe Clark and Mulroney to lead,

With their tax, spend and travel policies and their old GST.

How could this all happen to the old Reform Alliance?

Where policies were bold and strong and no Liberal compliance,

Where it was good to belong because we knew where we stood,

Not wiggling with weary weasel words that no one understood.

Think referendums, recall or those elected Senate votes,

Or proportional representation -- not shoved down our throats,

When everyone understood where we were with directness,

And we now all bow to the god of political correctness.

Friday, February 06, 2004

The Almost Forgotten Policies of the Canadian Alliance

These were the policies that the Canadian Alliance wrote in July 2000 but it doesn't matter now because it appears that the Canadian Alliance has disintigrating in front of our eyes.

Here are the once hoped for policies:
1. The Canadian Alliance will cut taxes deeply.
2. Eliminate discriminatory hiring and promotion policies for federally regulated employees.
3. Free trade including the elimination of inter-provincial trade barriers.
4. Consumer protection from financial institutions.
5. Reduce international trade barriers, tariffs and subsidies.
6. Smaller and more efficient federal government.
7. The national debt will be paid down.
8. The mortgage on the national debt will be paid down.
9. Seek free entry of Canadian products into foreign markets and the phased reduction and elimination of all subsidies, support programs and trade restrictions in conjunction with other countries.
10. Farmers will be given the freedom to make their own marketing and transportation decisions.
11. The farmers should be guaranteed access to foreign markets.
12. Canadian fishing fleets should have priority over foreign fleets when granting access to stocks and licenses for fishing in Canadian waters.
13. Local communities should manage and preserve Canadas fish stocks.
14. Improve our transportation system by lowering personal and business taxes.
15. Lower all personal income taxes.
16. Lower business and capital gains taxes to make Canada more competitive and stop the brain drain.
17. Make a simple single rate of taxation for all Canadians.
18. A family tax return for single and dual income families.
19. The government will have to report to the Commons on how it dealt with issued raised in the Auditor Generals report.
20. Government programs will have a sunset clause and the right to private property will be recognized.
21. Property rights should be in the Charter.
22. Less government interference in the lives of Canadians.
23. Families, non-government agencies and communities should be assisted to help those who need assistance to achieve a level of independence of which they are capable.
24. Maintain the present retirement system and eliminate the foreign investment restriction for retirement investments.
25. Government Bills and regulations will be geared for families.
26. No government or agency has the right to interfere with the right of parents to raise their children responsibly according to their own conscience and beliefs.
27. Family means those related by blood, adoption or marriage -- a man and a woman.
28. Prisoners will be safely rehabilitated into society ensuring the safety of Canadians, their families and their property.
29. The rights of the victims of crimes override the rights of criminals. All sex offenders will be registered so that police can monitor their whereabouts.
30. Violent or serious repeat offenders fourteen and over will be tried as adults, as will all offenders sixteen and older.
31. Replace the current firearms law with a practical firearms control system.
32. Prison sentences should be served. Parole should be harder to earn. Multiple convictions should get consecutive sentences. Convicted prisoners should not be permitted to vote.
33. Victims and community should be involved in parole hearings.
34. Canadians should have quality health care.
35. The needs of patients should come first.
36. Canadians should have a choice of natural health care products.
37. Government will cooperate with provinces to internationalize post-secondary education and develop partnerships with organizations that have a stake in the quality of training, education and research.
38. Multiculturalism will not be publicly funded.
39. National parks, museums and historical sites are for all Canadians to enjoy.
40. French-English bilingualism is in but the primary jurisdiction of the provinces has to be respected.
41. French-English bilingualism is in but the primary jurisdiction of the provinces has to be respected. Indians will not have race-based allocation to harvest rights of natural resources.
42. Indians should have the same rights and responsibilities as other Canadians.
43. Individual Indians should have the right to own property.
44. Strike a balance between environmental preservation and economic development.
45. Responsible exploration and development is vital. We will establish a unified and single-window approval process.
46. Federal legislation dealing with water has to respect the jurisdiction of the provinces.
47. We support sponsorship for immigrants of immediate family members.
48. Non-citizens who engage in criminal activity will be deported once their sentence has been served.
49. Bogus refugees and other illegal entrants will be immediately deported.
50. The government safety net for those in need will be restructured to improve but avoid the present complicated, wasteful patchwork of income support programs that overlap.
51. The Unemployment Insurance program will be returned in order to provide temporary income support in cases of unexpected job loss. This will be a provincial matter rather than a federal.
52. The federal government will abide by the constitution, which gives provinces jurisdiction over social services, health, education and training.
53. The armed forces should be trained and equipped to combat capability and the reserve personnel should be at least equal to the Regular force.
54. All armed forces programs, procurements and command structures should be cost-effective and eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy. We should have a general mobilization plan.
55. Canadian security agencies should more effectively protect Canadians against internal and external security and economic threats in a changing and unstable environment.
56. We will support a foreign polity that protects our sovereignty but we will pay particular attention to maintaining good bilateral relations with our most significant trading partners.
57. Major international agreements must be ratified by Parliament. Parliament will decide about foreign policy and the commitment of Canadian Forces to foreign operations. International law cannot supercede Canadian law. Parliament will be responsible for foreign assistance and international organizations.
58. No foreign aid to governments with a record of human rights violations.
59. The constitution provides that the federal government will administer defence; foreign affairs; monetary policy; regulation of financial institutions; criminal law; equalization; international trade; and inter-provincial trade.
60. The Alliance will seek to establish national standards and the cooperation of the provinces as far as the remainder is concerned.
61 Provinces should have exclusive domain of natural resources; employment training; social services; health; education; social assistance; language; culture; municipal affairs; sports; recreation; housing and tourism. The Alliance confirms that every individual is equal before and under the law.
62 Provinces should be equal before and under the law.
63 Needy provinces will receive equalization payments.
64 The federal government will seek appropriate provincial consent for financing any new program in a field of provincial jurisdiction and provide full compensation for provinces choosing not to participate.
65 We will eliminate unnecessary overlap and duplication between levels of government and provide for clear accountability to the Canadian people.
66 If a province proposes to secede, negotiation will be based on the rule of law, democratic legitimacy and the primary interests of Canada.
67 The Commons will have free votes except for budget and main estimates.
68 MPs should represent their constituents over party and personal views.
69 Appointments to the civil service, the judiciary and government agencies should be made through open and accountable process based on merit.
70 MPs will be paid according to the recommendations of an independent commission according to private sector standards.
71 Senators will be elected.
72 Canadians will have citizen-initiated referenda even for changes to the Constitution.
73 Canadians will have recall initiatives for their MPs permitting voters to petition for a by-election in their riding.
74 We will have fixed election dates.
75 We will use Section 33, the notwithstanding clause, when court decisions conflict with the intent of Parliament or the will of the public.