Law and Domestic Affairs

Post Secondary Education

Updated on October 19, 2015

Post-secondary education in Canada is primarily the responsibility of provincial and territorial governments, and they provide the majority of their funding. However, the federal government provides significant amounts of funding and is responsible for military schools (which currently only includes the Royal Military College of Canada) and the education of Aboriginal peoples within Canada. Over the past three decades, government funding for post-secondary institutions has been decreasing and these institutions are increasingly having to rely more on tuition to cover their operating costs. For that reason, the cost of obtaining post-secondary education has been rising faster than inflation, according to the Canadian Federation of Students. Tuition rates are currently frozen in Newfoundland and Labrador and, starting this year, in Alberta. The federal government also provides roughly 60% of government loan assistance to students. It has also created some grants and scholarships to some low-income students, and provides education tax credits that help families save for the cost of their children’s education. The federal government must write off significant amounts of student debt each year, due to the borrowers being either financially insolvent or impossible to locate. In 2012-2013, $300 million in debt was written off. Student loans from the government are often insufficient to cover costs to students and so they are increasingly relying on private debt.


Pledges to double the federal contributions to the supplemental grant for the first $500 saved per year in lower- and middle- income families’ Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). This will raise the grant from 20 to 40 cents per dollar contributed, and 10 to 20 cents per dollar contributed, respectively (1, 2) Promises to expand the Canadian Student Grant program, which provides assistance to lower- and middle-income students, to include programs as short as 34 weeks (down from the previous minimum of 60 weeks) (3) Pledges an additional $12 million dollars in scholarships for Aboriginal students through Indspire, the largest nonprofit funder of Aboriginal education in Canada (3) Will increase the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit for up to 10% of the wages paid to first- and second-year apprentices to $2500 per year (up from $2000 per year), and will expand the credit to cover 3rd and 4th year apprentices as well (4) Allocated $65 million, beginning in 2016-2017, to help industries and businesses work with post-secondary institutions to better align curricula with what Canadian employers need (3) Pledges to make Quebec's Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean a degree-granting military university, at a cost of $4 million per year to the Federal government (5)	Pledges to immediately begin phasing out interest on student loans, eliminating them completely in seven years (6, 7, 8) Promises to invest $250 million in additional federal student grants over four years, creating as many as 50,000 new grants, with an emphasis on assisting those who need it the most and Aboriginal students, without tying funding to any particular type of degree (6, 7, 9) Will create 40,000 new youth jobs, co-op placements, and internships for youth, and will include a requirement for youth apprenticeships in all major, federally-owned infrastructure and public works projects. in the private and nonprofit sectors (17)	Will change the student loan system so that no graduate with student loans will be required to make any repayment until they are earning an income of at least $25,000 per year (10 p. 8, 13) Pledges to cancel the textbook and education tax credits, which do not benefit lower- and middle-income families, in order to boost up-front, non-repayable grants that give money directly to students (10 p. 81, 13) Will increase the maximum Canada Student Grant for low-income students to $3,000 per year for full-time students, and to $1,800 per year for part time students (10 p. 8, 13) Will increase the number of jobs funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program by 35,000 each year to help young Canadians looking for jobs during summer to help support themselves (11, 16) Will invest $40 million annually to create more co-op placements for students in science, technology, mathematics, and business programs, and will pay 25% (up to $5,000) to employers that create new co-op placements (11, 16) Will invest an additional $50 million annually in support to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) to help provide Indigenous students with support to attend university (12, 13) Will invest $80 million per year to create a new Veterans Education Benefit to provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans (10 p. 50)	Pledges to end all tuition fees for students in university or other post-secondary training programs, and forgive all student loans over $10,000 by 2020 by immediately abolishing interest on new student loans and ending all tuition fees for students without adequate means (14 p. 13, 15) Will increase funding available for bursaries (14 p. 13) Will create a national Community and Environmental Service Corps that will transfer $1 billion dollars a year to municipalities to hire Canadian youth so that they can get real work experience no matter how difficult the job market (14 p 13)

References

Crime and Punishment

Updated on October 18, 2015


Pledges to reintroduce ‘Life Means Life’ legislation to ensure that criminals who commit the most heinous of crimes spend the rest of their life behind bars without the chance for parole (1, 2, 5, 18) Believes there should be mandatory minimum sentences for the following types of offenders: violent, repeat, and those convicted of sexual assault against a minor (4) Will not support the legalization of marijuana, and pledges to spend an additional $4.5 million to fund police teams that target illegal grow-ops (1, 16) Will compile a formal list of gangs, similar to what is done for terrorist groups, to help ease prosecution of gang members (1, 3) Pledges to spend an additional $2.5 million per year on programs to help steer teens away from gang activity (1, 3) Pledges to renew, for an additional five years, Canada’s plans to combat human trafficking and new RCMP human trafficking teams in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnipeg at an annual cost of $8 million (1, 7, 11) Supports a sex registry with mandatory DNA banking, and a registry information network (4)	Opposes the ‘Life Means Life’ and believe that mandatory sentencing is unnecessary and supports maintaining judges power and ability to determine the length of the sentence for serious criminals (1) Believe that there should be rules that allow for more severe punishments for violent crimes, subject to judicial supervision (1, 12) Promises to decriminalize personal marijuana possession (10) Pledges to spend an additional $250 million over for years to increase the number of RCMP officers by 2500 in order to expand the RCMPs ability to combat organized crime (9, 10) Will invest an additional $30 million in crime prevention programs, especially targeting youth (10) Pledges to improving access to prison rehabilitation programs (10)	Believes the justice system already recognizes risk of granting parole to criminals but would investigate any plans to make communities safer (1, 18) Pledges to repeal some mandatory minimum prison sentences and reserve them for only the most violent of crimes (17) Will legalize and reform access to marijuana (1, 8) Will provide $100 million yearly to the provincial and territorial governments in an effort to combat gang-related violence and eliminate illegal firearms (6) Promises to develop and implement a strategy to deal with gender-based violence, and to ensure that victims have places to go when leaving a violent situation (8)	Opposes the ‘Life Means Life’ act as they believe it would apply to few people and prevent rehabilitation (1) Promises to repeal mandatory minimum sentencing (1, 13, 14, 15) Will legalize and reform access to marijuana (1, 15) Commits to increasing penalties for domestic violence (13) Will work towards restoring the prison farm system; believes that the program offers criminals a chance of rehabilitation through education and meaningful work (13) Pledges to make resources available to communities such that they are able to engage in restorative justice and community healing (13)

References

Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women

Updated on August 29, 2015

Synopsis

Aboriginal women in Canada face a homicide rate roughly 4.5 times the national average and are consistently over-represented amongst the murdered and missing. At least 1,181 Aboriginal women and girls have been murdered or gone missing over the past three decades, though many suspect the number to be higher. A 2014 RCMP study, with a 2015 update, has indicated that murders of Aboriginal women are most frequently committed by men and by someone they know. Spouses, family, and those with an intimate relationship accounted for 62% of the homicides, lower than the national average of 74%. Significantly higher than the national average (30% to 19%) was the number of Aboriginal women killed by those categorized as ‘acquaintances:’ individuals who were friends, neighbors, co-workers, authority figures, or others known to — but not intimate with — the victims. According to police, almost 90% of the murders were solved during their investigations. Numerous First Nations leaders, the Assembly of First Nations, Native Women’s Association of Canada, the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, and several provincial governments have — among others — called for a national inquiry into the violence. The 2014 RCMP report is available here. The 2015 update is available here.


Opposes the creation of a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women as it holds that another study or inquiry, on top of the 40 related studies already completed, would be less effective than increased policing and investigation (2, 3, 5) Views the issues of missing Aboriginal people as an issue of law and order, and not as sociology: “It’s a crime against innocent people, and should be addressed as such.” (1, 3, 4)	Has, in conjunction with the Liberal Party, called for the establishment of a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada (4, 6, 11) Pledges to launch a public inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women within 100 days of taking office (7) Believes the issue is rooted in systemic violence against Aboriginal women and is not merely an issue of law and order (7)	Has, in conjunction with the New Democratic Party, called for the establishment of a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada (6, 11) Pledges to immediately launch a national public inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada to recommend concrete actions that government, law enforcement, and others can take to solve these crimes and future ones (8, 9) Believes that the root causes of the problems need to be addressed and that the current approach has been ineffective (5)	Pledges to launch a full inquiry into the missing and murdered Aboriginal women (10, 11, 12) Will create a task force to address the treatment of Aboriginal peoples within the Canadian justice system and investigate and address the disappearance of Aboriginal women (10) Believes that a legacy of racism, poverty, and colonialism have contributed to the problem (12)

References

Child Care

Updated on August 24, 2015


Implemented Universal Child Care Benefit, which provides $1,920 per year for each child under the age of 6 and $720 per year for children aged 6 through 17 (this income is taxable) (1, 7) States that support should go to all parents and families raising children, especially to lower- and middle-income parents (1) Promised to increase the Adoption Expense Tax Credit from 15% of $15k to 15% of $20k, or 3k per child, and to make it refundable (10)	Will create a $15 dollar-per-day childcare service and open one million childcare spaces across Canada over the next decade (5) Maintains that the childcare program would boost economic growth and tax revenue, as well as reduce the number of single mothers on social assistance (6) Will honour the Universal Child Care Benefit (9) Will provide long-term, secure funding to provinces and territories for early childhood education and child care services (2) Promises to establish an enhanced and simplified child tax benefit (2) Will expand access to parental leave (2) Pledges to enact a law protecting childcare by enshrining it in legislation - the Canadian Early Childhood Learning and Care Act – to be a cornerstone of Canada, like the Canada Health Act (2) Will fund $290 million for 60,000 spaces in its first year in power, which will grow to $1.86 billion by 2018 to create 370,000 new childcare spots (5)	Will get rid of the Universal Child Care Benefit, the Canada Child Tax Benefit, and the National Child Benefit Supplement, and institute a Universal Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) program with national standards and monitoring mechanisms (3) Will arrange tax incentives to develop workplace ECEC and funding for post-secondary ECEC training to ensure quality of care (3, 12) ECEC will provide up to $533 per month for every child under age six and $450 for children ages six to 17 You can find out how much you can save here (8) Promises to increase funding for ECEC to 1% of GDP (3) Will introduce a new income-tested, tax-free monthly Canada Child Benefit that will boost payments to all families with children and annual income below $150,000 (9) Pledges to introduce two new parental leave options: the first will allow workers to take time off, return to work, and take more time off within an 18-month period. The second will let parents take a longer leave of up to 18 months, when combined with maternity benefits (11)	Will restore and revamp the 2005 agreement reached between the federal government, provinces, and territories to achieve a universal access child care program in Canada (4) Promises to create a national Children’s Commissioner, as recommended by UNICEF, to ensure children’s best interests are considered in policy development and that services across the country are better coordinated (4) Will ensure that Canada’s Universal Childcare Program provides workplace child care spaces wherever possible (4) Will accelerate the creation of workplace childcare spaces through a direct tax credit to employers (or groups of employers in small businesses) of $1500 tax credit/child per year (4) Pledges to promote and facilitate access to the Roots of Empathy Program, an award-winning program developed by a non-profit educational organization, to all Canadian children at some point in their elementary school years (4)

References

Democratic Reform

Updated on August 18, 2015


Electoral Reform
Does not presently support a change in Canada’s electoral system away from first-past-the-post as Canadians have repeatedly rejected such measures in the past (1, 2) Would require a national referendum before first-past-the-post electoral system can be changed (1, 2) Passed the Fair Elections Act, which changes vouching for an oath system, prevents Elections Canada from encouraging voting, provides voting data to parties, and raises donation limits, among other measures. The party maintains that the Act combats voter fraud, includes needed updates to campaign finance laws, preserves the investigative power of the Commissioner, and empowers political parties, as opposed to Elections Canada, to drive voter turnout. More info (7) Introduced the Citizen Voting Act, which requires proof of citizenship from those living abroad in order for them to vote (has not been passed into law) (8)	Will replace the first-past-the-post electoral system with a mixed member proportional system (1, 3) Will repeal the Fair Elections Act, and opposes the Citizen Voting Act, which the party believes makes it more difficult for Canadians to vote and easier for election lawbreakers to evade punishment (9)	Will form an all-party parliamentary committee to study the following measures: ranked ballots, proportional representation, mandatory voting, and online voting for possible implementation (4) Will introduce legislation within 18 months of the election to reform the electoral system (4) Will repeal elements of the Fair Elections Act and oppose the Citizen Voting Act, which the party believes make it more difficult for Canadians to vote and easier for election lawbreakers to evade punishment (4) Will restore the voter identification card as an acceptable form of identification (4) Will increase penalties for breaking election laws (4)	Will eliminate first-past-the-post system and consult the public on the style of proportional representation best suited to Canada (1, 5, 11) Will lower the voting age to 16 to encourage higher youth participation (11) Will reduce the $1,000 candidate deposit to encourage more Canadians to participate in the democratic system (5)
Procedural and Democratic Reform
Believes in restoring democratic accountability into the House of Commons by allowing free votes except for the budget, main estimates, and core government initiatives (2) Believes that senior officers such as the Auditor General, Chief Electoral Officer, Comptroller General, Ethics Commissioner, Information Commissioner, and Privacy Commissioner should be appointed by Parliament and report to it (2)	Will change the appointment process for federal agencies by having candidate nominations sent to Parliament (3)	Will empower backbench MPs by allowing free votes on everything except legislation implementing election platform promises, budget measures, and matters involving freedoms guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (6) Will support an Elections Canada initiative to register Canadians as a part of their high school curriculum and stay in contact with them if they change addresses after graduation (4) Will allow more time for questions and answers during question period, and introduce a prime minister’s question period (4) Will appoint an equal number of men and women to cabinet and adopt a government-wide appointment policy to ensure gender parity as well as greater representation of aboriginal people and other minorities (6)	Will create an administrative body called the Council of Canadian Governments, to be chaired by the Prime Minister and include Premiers, territorial, municipal and Indigenous leaders (10) The Council will supplement First Ministers’ Conferences and initiate, develop, and monitor the implementation of policy reforms that are of "national significance" and that require action by all Canadian governments (10) Will end whipped votes in the House of Commons, the process by which party leaders can dictate how their MPs will vote as they believe that MPs should be free to best represent their constituent's interests (1, 5) Will start a commission to engage Canadians in a public inquiry into the interwoven and anti-democratic trends within Canada. Full details here (5)
Financing, Oversight, and Governance
Canceled annual payment to federal political parties of around $2 per vote received in the previous federal election (2) Believes there should be no additional public funding of federal political parties beyond that presently contained in the Elections Canada Act (2) Believes the government should provide the Auditor General with full access to all documents from all federal organizations, including all agencies, Crown corporations, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and foundations (2)	Will strengthen the mandate and independence of the Parliamentary Budget Officer and make the position an Officer of Parliament (1)	Will review electoral spending limits and ensure that political party spending between elections is subject to limits (4) Will introduce a plan to ensure that government information is made readily accessible to the public. Full details here Will provide Elections Canada with additional resources to investigate voter fraud and suppression, illegal financing, and other matters (4) Will appoint an Advertising Commissioner to assist the Auditor General in providing oversight on government advertising to ensure they are non-partisan and related to actual government requirements (4) Will create a quarterly, more detailed parliamentary expense report, and open up the "secretive" House of Commons Board of Internal Economy (4)	Will discourage patronage appointments by establishing an independent agency for appointments to government tribunals, boards and senior positions (5) Will slash the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) budget by 50% (5)

References

The Senate

Updated on August 13, 2015

Synopsis

There have been numerous attempts to reform the Senate throughout Canadian history, although the federal government is not capable of legislating these changes alone. Reform would require a constitutional amendment, which historically has been a very difficult process. Most recently in 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada issued an advisory opinion that, due to the Senate being enshrined in the Constitution, any changes would require constitutional amendment. In their opinion, the judges indicated that at least seven provinces, with half or more of Canada’s population, would be needed in order to pass structural reforms and that the consent of all provinces would be required for abolition. Presently, provincial governments in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick have indicated they are interested or open to Senate reform but are opposed to abolition. They view the regional representation inherent in the Senate as being essential for preserving provincial balance and giving the provinces a voice in national institutions. British Columbia and Ontario have indicated interest in reform as well, though have placed little emphasis on the issue. Alberta has not made its position clear on Senate reform or abolition. The governments of Saskatchewan and Manitoba favour abolition of the Senate.


Supports reform of the Senate, and attempted reforms in 2006 and 2014 aimed at making the Senate more democratic by electing Senators and imposing term limits. The Liberal-dominated Senate blocked these attempts, indicating that the proposals would require a Constitutional amendment, and then in 2014 by a Supreme Court advisory opinion which indicated that such plans would require a constitutional amendment (1, 2, 4, 8) Believes that any new attempt to reform the Senate should come from the provinces as their support would be required for it to pass (3, 4) Pledged not to appoint any new Senators until the Senate is reformed in an attempt to reduce costs and place pressure on provinces to create a plan to update the institution; currently, 22 of 105 seats are vacant and it has been two and a half years since the last appointment (2, 3) Promised to not appoint any Senators during the 2006 election, though 59 have been appointed since 2008, when the Conservative government needed more Senators to ensure Conservative legislation would pass the Upper House—though they continued to appoint Senators after this point (6, 7, 22) Appointed four Senators who had previously been elected by citizens in the province of Alberta (5)	Wants to abolish the Senate and is seeking a mandate from Canadians to do so in this election (9, 10) Has pledged to keep trying for Senate abolition despite provincial governments’ opposition and has promised to work with the provinces to ensure that it happens (11) Put forth a motion to end partisan activities in the Senate in 2013, which was defeated by the Conservative and Liberal parties (12)	Wants to reform the Senate to make the chamber a place of sober, second thought, and for reflective analysis on legislation as it was intended to be (13, 14) Pledges to introduce an open, non-partisan, and merit-based process of appointing Senators that respects provincial interests (15, 17) Ejected Senators from the Liberal caucus, allowing them to sit as independents with no formal ties to Liberal parliamentary machinery, to make them more independent and less partisan (14, 16) Believes that promising to abolish the Senate is reckless as it would require the support of some provinces that will never agree to it, and will seek reform without the need of a constitutional amendment (9, 15)	Pledges to create a nonpartisan commission to speak with Canadians to create a constitutional reform proposal for a new Senate during the next Parliament, which would then be put forward as a national referendum asking if Canadians want the Senate reformed or abolished (17, 18) Will hold a national referendum on Senate reform to determine how to proceed with the possibility of electing Senators and changing regional distribution (17) Supports the implementation of a proportional representation system to elect Senators (19) Believes the Conservative decision to stop appointing Senators is unconstitutional (20, 21)

References

Bill C-51

Updated on July 30, 2015

Synopsis

Bill C-51 was introduced by the Conservative government of Canada to provide a major overhaul of Canadian security legislation. Amongst other things, the Bill (now law) increases the powers and mandate of CSIS (the Canadian Security Intelligence Service), expands information sharing between branches of government, criminalizes the promotion of terrorism, expands the no-fly list, and provides the RCMP with new powers of preventative arrest. Supporters of the Bill argue that Canada’s anti-terrorism legislation was last overhauled over a decade ago after the September 11, 2001 attacks and is in serious need of improvement. They state that the Bill does not pose a danger to citizens as its provisions are subject to independent review and judicial oversight. Critics of the Bill contend that Bill C-51 poses very significant privacy concerns as well as threat to other fundamental Canadian freedoms. They believe that the wording in the Bill means that it could be used to target protesters and those who dissent against the government. It also would grant government departments and agencies unprecedented and excessive powers to breach privacy rights of Canadians. Critics of the Bill include numerous business leaders, law professors, NGOs, and the United Nations Human Rights committee. The Bill was granted Royal Assent on June 18, 2015.


Introduced Bill C-51 in order to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State and the international jihadist movement by increasing the policing powers of CSIS and the RCMP and making it illegal to promote terrorism, among other changes. (3, 16) Agreed to make amendments to the original Bill C-51 after public consultations to ensure civil disobedience is not included as a threat against the country, remove CSIS’ power to make arrests, and restrict information sharing to within the federal government (1, 2) Does not believe that direct parliamentary oversight is necessary; instead supports using the Security Intelligence Review Committee to minimize political interference in counter-terrorism operations (SIRC is an independent watchdog whose members are appointed by the federal government) (3) “Opposes adding a “sunset clause” to the Bill, which would require the federal government to review and reauthorize the Bill after a set period of time” (4) Blocked all other parties' amendments to the bill (5)	Voted against Bill C-51, and have consistently opposed it (3) Opposes giving broad powers to CSIS without enhancing oversight and decries the lack of measures to counter radicalization of communities (6) Believes the legislation is too vague and therefore dangerous in terms of its potential impact on Canadian liberties, and fears it could impact legitimate dissent (6) Filibustered committee meetings to pressure the government to give public safety committee additional time to hear from witnesses (7) Vowed to repeal all offending provisions of C-51 (8)	Voted in favor of Bill C-51, though promises to amend its most "concerning aspects" (3, 9, 10) Is concerned that some aspects of the Bill threaten Canadians’ Charter rights and freedoms, but that these can be addressed by amending the Bill (18, 19) Nevertheless believes the Bill does much to increase the physical security of Canadians, particularly by strengthening the no-fly list, increasing powers of preventative arrest, and increasing information sharing between federal departments (18, 19) Wishes to amend Bill C-51 to: give parliament oversight of Canada’s security agencies include a ‘sunset clause’ to force parliament to review and vote to re-authorize the bill periodically narrow broad definitions in the bill remove measures allowing judges to provide CSIS with warrants to violate Canadian Charter rights include programs for radicalization prevention in communities (9, 10, 11) Introduced 10 amendments to Bill C-51 on March 26th which can be viewed here in summarized form, and here in full form. Liberal Senators voted against the Bill in the Senate Chamber (12, 17)	Has consistently opposed Bill C-51, voted against it, and will support all efforts to repeal the Bill (13, 14) Believes that outreach programs to counter radicalization, improved oversight of intelligence agencies, and improved coordination of RCMP and CSIS should be used instead of measures included in Bill C-51(14) Opposes the granting of powers that would violate Canadians’ Charter Rights, expanding no-fly list, government departments sharing private citizen information, and giving CSIS the power to disrupt activities itself (13, 15) Proposed 60 amendments to Bill C-51, all of which were blocked by Conservative MPs (15)

References

Bill C-24: Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act

Updated on June 29, 2015


Asserts that the Bill reinforces the value of citizenship and strengthens the rules in order to reflect its true value (4) Retroactively grants citizenship to ‘Lost Canadians’ and their children [Canadians who believe themselves entitled to citizenship but have not been granted such due to loopholes or particular aspects or interpretations of the law] (1) Aims to reduce wait times for citizenship applications to less than a year by 2015-2016 (1) Grants the minister of Immigration the power to revoke Canadian citizenship in “extreme-cases,” i.e. where their crimes were not only violent, but also embraced an ideology or an allegiance to a group hostile to Canada or supportive of terrorist acts (1, 2, 3) Maintains that citizens who lose their citizenship have a de facto right to appeal in court if the government has not fulfilled its statutory mandates (5)	Voted against Bill C-24 (7) Opposes the creation of two classes of Canadian citizens and believes this Bill undermines the fundamental Canadian value of equality (1, 6, 9, 10) Believes the Bill does not comply with the Canadian Charter or with international law (6, 9) Is glad to see the government expediting citizenship for permanent residents serving in the armed forces and addressing some of the issues of the ‘Lost Canadians’ children [Canadians who believe themselves entitled to citizenship but have not been granted such due to loopholes or particular aspects or interpretations of the Law] (1, 11) Concerned with the idea that the Minister of Immigration, not judges, would have the power to revoke citizenship based on convictions from other countries, often without the possibility of appeal or hearing (1, 8, 10)	Voted against Bill C-24 (7) Opposes the creation of two classes of Canadian citizens, stating that that Canadian citizens are all equal (3) Is concerned that foreign students would be deprived of any credit for time spent studying in Canada for the purposes of acquiring citizenship (11) Is concerned that a criminal conviction from a country that does not respect the rule of law would be sufficient for stripping a Canadian of their citizenship, and believes that appropriate checks and balances need to be a precondition of granting the Minister this power (12)	Voted against Bill C-24 (7) Does not believe that the Bill is compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (13) Is concerned that the Bill does not do enough to provide citizenship to the 'Lost Canadians' and their descendants (14)

References

Immigration

Updated on May 5, 2015


Supports family reunification as an important part of Canada’s immigration policy, has pledged to extend automatic Canadian citizenship to children adopted abroad by Canadian parents, and has implemented limitations in the parent/grandparent sponsorship program to eliminate backlog, shorten wait times, and lessen associated tax burdens (1, 2) Supports the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, and has expanded projects aimed at attracting skilled temporary workers to address labour shortages by providing temporary workers with pathways to permanent status and ensuring their employment standards are on a par with those of Canadians (1) Will streamline the refugee claims process and the repatriation of those who fail to qualify; committed to combating human smuggling through increased legal enforcement and through the advancement of democratic government in refugees’ countries of origin (1) Is committed to settlement support by lowering landing fees, introducing a system of recognition and assessment of international credentials, and working with local governments to provide more language instruction, community mentoring, employment counseling, and the promotion of adaptation to Canadian values (1) Established the Express Entry system, a points system that ranks potential economic immigrants based on criteria such as age, education, and work experience in Canada, providing a pathway to permanent residence for temporary workers and students (3, 4, 5).	Believes family reunification should be central to Canada’s immigration policy and opposes current limitations on family reunification initiatives (6, 7, 8, 9) Opposes the current Temporary Foreign Workers Program, expressing concern about its effect on wages and employment opportunities for Canadian citizens and opposing provisions that require the repatriation of temporary foreign workers without a pathway to permanent status. (6, 10) Has called for increasing the admission of refugees from the Syrian Civil War and opposes cuts in social assistance funding for refugees in Canada. (11, 12) Is critical of the Express Entry system, concerned it will leave low-ranked applicants indefinitely waiting and will promote line-jumping, and opposes its language provisions. (5, 9)	Supports family reunification as part of Canada’s immigration policy, plans on streamlining and expanding family reunification initiatives. (13) Has called for the dramatic scaling back of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, and plans on limiting it to a stopgap measure for addressing labour shortages when there are no qualified or willing Canadian workers. (14) Opposes cuts to refugee social services, and is committed to expanding refugee programs and to increasing the number of refugees accepted from Syria and Iraq. (13, 15, 16) Has expressed support for increasing governmental investment in not-for-profit organizations aimed at aiding and integrating immigrant groups. (17)	Supports family reunification as part of Canada’s immigration policy, and plans on streamlining and expanding family reunification initiatives. (18) Pledges to eliminate the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, and is committed to targeted immigration increases aimed at combating labour shortages. (18) Plans to expand refugee policy to include an “environmental refugees” category, and is committed to increasing legal penalties for convicted human smugglers but is opposed to the incarceration of refugees who arrive in Canada through irregular entry. (18, 19) Will allocate more funding toward language training for immigrants, establish a pathway for unofficial residents to full landed immigrant status, and repeal existent streamlined deportation legislation. (18)

References

Health Care

Updated on May 5, 2015


Universal Health Care
Believes that a balance of public and private health care delivery options should be available in the provinces and territories (1)	Believes in a fully publicly funded health care system and will fight the privatization of health care services in Canada (7, 4)	Supports the current single-payer, publicly funded Health Care system administered under the Canada Health Act (3)	Will defend the current single-payer universal health care system under the Canada Health Act and opposes privatization (4, 10)
Collaboration with Provinces/Territories to Manage Health Care Funding
Will tie healthcare transfers to the provinces based on economic growth after 2016-2017 (19) Will work with provinces and territories to create defined objectives and quality indicators (1) Will add a sixth principle to the Canada Health Act to provide stable and transparent federal funding to the provinces for use in improving health care (1) Will conduct a medicare audit to investigate how well Medicare is working, focusing on program design and health-care financing issues (1) Pledges to work with the provinces, territories, and professional medical associations to increase the supply of health care professionals (1) Pledges to work with provinces to create programs and policies to promote wellness and disease prevention (1) Put into place a reduction in the rate of increase in provincial health transfers, due to set in two years from now (14)	Pledges to reverse a planned budget cut to, and increase funding of health care transfer payments to provinces and territories (6, 14) Will invest $6 billion over four years into health care (17) Promises to work collaboratively to improve access to primary and long-term care (6) Will commit $200 million as a recruitment grant to help provinces hire approximately 7,000 more family physicians; communities with shortages of health care providers will have priority, and the NDP estimates that this strategy will help them support health care for approximately 41,000 more seniors (8) Will commit $300 million to build or expand 200 health care clinics (9, 13) Will commit $1.8 billion to improve care for seniors, including home care, palliative care, and nursing home beds (9)	Pledges to invest $3 billion over four years into health care especially for in-home caregivers, financial supports for family care, and, palliative care (15, 16 p.9) Will meet with the premiers to discuss how to strengthen health care and engage closely in areas where there is direct federal jurisdiction, including health promotion, support to caregivers, and First Nations' health (4, 15) Pledges to amend the Canada Health Act to make annual payments to provinces/territories, subject to consultation with the federal government on quality standards, access to health services in rural areas, and improving cost efficiency (3) Promises to ensure annual payments reflect demographic and geographic factors (3) Will fund initiatives for health promotion, care for the elderly, pharmacare, combating obesity and diabetes, and addressing the health care needs of veterans (3) Pledges to negotiate a new deal with the provinces and territories to replace the 2004 Health Accord, which will focus on creating accountability for measurable outcomes in cost effectiveness, efficiency, and timely access to care (3)	Pledges to collaborate with the Provinces and Territories for a renewal of the Health Care Accord of 2004 (4, 10) Promises to increase transfers to provinces based on the age of their population with those with higher ages receiving more (14)
Pharmacare
Believes pharmaceuticals are the responsibility of the provinces, not the federal government (19) Promises to adhere to the international standard of a 20-year patent limitation for prescription drugs (1) Promises to enhance freedom for natural health care products with safeguards for public safety (1)	Will commit $2.6 billion towards working with the provinces to establish universal comprehensive drug coverage for all Canadians (8) Universal coverage will not be implemented by the end of the NDP’s first mandate, but the NDP estimates that this plan will lower costs for Canadians by 30% through bulk buying of prescription drugs (8, 12) Will provide funding for provincially administered pharmacare programs and encourage use of less expensive drugs (7)	Does not support a universal pharmacare program (15) Will work with provinces to lower prescription drug costs (13) Pledge to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals for Canadians through bulk buying, combining federal, provincial, and territorial purchases (14, 16 p.9)	Will create and implement a National Pharmacare Plan to lower the costs of prescription drugs with bulk buying, asserting it could save $11 billion and keep health care providers aware when patients are in danger of over-medication (4, 10) Will expand health care to cover public dental care for low income youth (4, 10) The National Pharmacare Plan will be more rigorous in assessing new drug applications (10)
Mental Health
Launched a $31.5-million plan on dementia in partnership with private- and public-sector groups (19)	Commits $40 million over four years to launch a national Alzheimer’s and Dementia strategy (6, 9, 13) Will create a $100-million, four-year Mental Health Innovation Fund for children and youth, including $15 million per year for health-care providers and community mental health associations as well as $10 million per year for research and information-sharing among health-care providers (6, 12) Pledges to create a youth mental health innovation fund to reduce wait times and improve access to care (18 p.IV)	Pledges to increase funding for mental health initiatives from 5% to 8-10% of the federal health care budget (3) Pledges to implement and fund the recommendations from the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s report, Changing Directions, Changing Lives: A Mental Health Strategy for Canada (3) Pledges to create an office for a national mental health ombudsperson who will issue an annual report on the status of mental health in Canada for Parliament (3) Will work in partnership with mental health specialists, provinces and territories, and groups such as the Alzheimer’s society to create a National Action Plan on Dementia (3)	Will integrate extensive mental-health services, including expanded psychotherapy and clinical counselling into the health care system as recommended by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (11) Pledges to invest create a national dementia strategy (14)
Other Policies
Pledges to amend the Labour Code to create a new right for “at-risk workers” to be notified when they have been exposed to infectious disease; this right would “transcend” the privacy rights of the infected individual (1 p24) Proposes a three-year initial ban on human embryonic stem cell research starting in 2014, supporting a focus on post-natal stem cell research (1 p25) Will not support any legislation to regulate abortion (1 p25) Pledges to match donations for this year’s Terry Fox Run up to $35 million (2) Pledges to provide capital funding of $12.5 million to help establish the Canadian Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Centre in Vancouver, BC (2) Will give the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer a renewed 5 year mandate beginning in 2017 and fund the partnership with $50 million dollars (2) Committed to providing Canadian Armed Forces veterans with more expanded and accessible pension programs, disability benefits, and caregiver support, as well as hiring more case managers to provide veterans with individualized care; however, the government cut veterans’ pensions and downsized Veterans Canada offices and staff (20, 21, 22)	Will create a designated federal home care transfer to guarantee a basic level of home care services for all Canadians (7) Promises to establish a Patient’s Bill of Rights (7) Pledges to establish a National Health Care Council to ensure enforcement of the Canada Health Act and will extend the range of services offered under the Canada Health Act to include prescription drugs, palliative care, and home care (7) Pledges to work with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples to address their specific health care related challenges (7) Pledges to expand the Compassionate Care Benefit so people can take up to six months paid leave to care for seriously ill loved ones (18 p.IV) Promises to increase support for Canadian veterans and their families via extending the Veterans’ Independence Program and increasing funding for veterans’ pensions, insurance, and healthcare (7)	Will increase the Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefit for persons caring for a seriously ill family member with an additional $190 million per year (which will not require an increase to insurance premiums) to make the eligibility requirements more flexible, allow sharing between family members, and allow persons to claim the six-month benefit in blocks of time over a year long period (5) Pledges to earmark $20 billion over 10 years specifically for "social infrastructure," which includes affordable seniors' housing and long-term care facilities (14)	Will focus on preventative strategies in health care and work with the provinces to establish preventative health care guidelines that encourage active lifestyles and healthy diets (4, 10) Pledges to adopt stricter regulations to prohibit cancer-causing chemicals from entering consumer products or food (10) Pledges to conduct a National Conference on Lyme Disease to develop a strategy to combat Lyme Disease (10) Will facilitate the switch to electronic record keeping (10) Encourages team-based medical practice in which the family physician works closely with naturopaths, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, midwives (10) Pledges to provide adequate health care funding for Aboriginal peoples both on and off reserves (10) Promises to expand rural health care infrastructure by investing in telehealth and mobile medical units to ensure Indigenous communities have access to critical care (10) Promises to drastically change policies of care for Canadian Armed Forces veterans, proposing a complete re-write of New Veterans Charter and Veterans Affairs Canada policies for the purpose of increasing benefits, pensions, and disability support for veterans (10)

References

Aboriginal Policy

Updated on May 5, 2015

Aboriginal policy is one of the most complicated issues facing the Federal government. The issue has roots in the relations between colonizers and Aboriginal peoples since long before Canada became a country. In light of this, any synopsis on the issue is likely to fail to capture the issues’ complexity. Please view the following links in order to get a better idea of the history of the relationship and current issues: Truth and Reconciliation Comission The Canadian Encyclopedia Government of Canada Assembly of First Nations Please note: At the time of writing, the Conservative Party of Canada and the NDP have indicated that they plan on unveiling more about their respective policies towards Aboriginal peoples closer to election day.


Federal-Aboriginal Relations and Governance
Created and are now reviewing the 94 recommendations released by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which had been established by the Conservative government in 2007 as part of the Indian Residential Schools Agreement along with a formal apology for Residential Schools (1, 5, 19) Signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2010 after initially opposing it in 2007, and refers to it as an aspirational document (19, 24) Believes the Indian Act and related legislation should be replaced with a modern framework that grants full legal and democratic responsibility for First Nations, and the Inuit, within the overall constitutional framework of our federal state (6) Three Conservative Party candidates running for election are Aboriginal, including Leona Aglukkaq, Minister for Health, as of the time of writing (23) More details on the Conservative Party's’ Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	Pledged to enact the recommendations of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission (1, 2) Would ensure that all new legislation passed by the Federal Government abides by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (1) Pledged to deliver a nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples (9) Will create a cabinet-level committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, to ensure federal government decisions respect treaty rights, inherent rights of Aboriginals, and Canada's international obligations (1, 2, 11) Twenty-three NDP candidates running for election are Aboriginal, as of the time of writing (23) More details on the NDP Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	Pledged to enact the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1, 2, 11) Pledged to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (1, 9, 11) Pledged to conduct a full review of legislation unilaterally imposed on Aboriginal peoples by the Harper government and scrap those laws if they do not respect Aboriginal rights (1, 9) Pledged to meet with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit leaders each year of a Liberal government’s mandate (12) Pledged to repeal changes made to the Elections Act by the Conservative government, which they believe make it unfairly more difficult for Aboriginal people to vote (12) Plan on introducing an Educational Program to provide all Canadians with an understanding of the history and background that have created the issues currently confronting Aboriginal Peoples in Canada (10) Sixteen Liberal Party candidates running for election are Aboriginal, as of the time of writing (23)	Supports the adoption of all recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2, 16) Holds that one of Canada’s first priorities should be to move forward and implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (14, 16) Believes that all Canadians must become more aware about the history and contributions of Canada’s First Peoples (15) Opposes policies of assimilation of Aboriginal Peoples (16) Supports the allocation of Senator seats for Aboriginal representatives in a number proportional to the percentage of Aboriginal peoples within Canada’s population (17) Will review all existing federal policies on Aboriginal self-government to ensure that this right is respected (1, 16) Will create a Council of Canadian Governments which will include leaders of Aboriginal groups as well as provincial and territorial leaders (25) Seven Green party candidates running for election are Aboriginal, as of the time of writing (23)
Social Services
Pledged $215 million to provide skills development and training for Aboriginal peoples (1, 3, 27) Committed $567 million over five years to help build stronger communities (1) Earmarked $1 billion dollars over five years for Aboriginal education and $500 million over seven years for Aboriginal educational infrastructure beginning in the 2014 and 2015 budgets (1, 2, 13) Have an additional $900 million available for Aboriginal education to accompany education reform, but have not delivered it due to the collapse of First Nations Education Act (13) Introduced Bill C-33, which would have ensured Aboriginal control of education, provided a statutory funding guarantee, provided $1.9 billion over several years, tied new funding to standards set and monitored by Ottawa, and ensured recognition of First Nations languages and culture. Placed Bill C-33 on hold after opposition from First Nations chiefs (4, 5) Reduced Aboriginal budget from current levels by $1 billion dollars by 2017-2018 in their most recent budget (5) Pledged $30 million for a land management scheme aimed at expanding a plan to help communities create their own land management laws and improve economic development on reserves (1, 2) More details on the Conservative Party's’ Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	Will remove the 2% annual cap on funding increases to Aboriginal programs (7, 23) Introduced a Bill in 2007, which passed unanimously in the House of Commons, to support ‘Jordan’s Principle’ which would ensure care for vulnerable populations regardless of conflict over jurisdictional disputes within levels of government (7, 8) Believes the government must expand maternal and palliative health care for remote communities to ensure that mothers and elders aren’t forced to leave their communities to receive treatment (7) Promised that the federal government and Aboriginal communities will be full partners in the development and implementation of health and wellness programs for communities (7) Pledged to increase funding for Aboriginal education and repair educational infrastructure on reserves (9, 22) Pledged to contribute federal funds to build an all-weather road for the Shoal Lake 40 First Nation (1) Are committed to increasing consultation with Aboriginal groups and improving language rights for Aboriginal languages (6) More details on the NDP Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	Pledged to lift the 2% cap for funding for Aboriginal programs and services (1, 13, 23) Pledged to increase funding for education in Aboriginal schools (kindergarten to grade 12) by $515 million a year, for a total of an additional $2.6 billion over four years (1, 13) Pledged to invest an additional $500 million for educational infrastructure (1) Promise to ensure that First Nations have control over First Nations education (1, 23) Will make new funding available to help preserve Indigenous languages (1, 23) Will allocate $50 million to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), which provides financial assistance to Aboriginal students who attend post-secondary schools (13) Pledged to contribute federal funds to build an all-weather road for the Shoal Lake 40 First Nation (1)	Pledged to remove the 2% funding cap on Aboriginal programs and would fully fund the program backlog at a cost of $424 million (1, 16) Support increased health and education funding on and off reserve lands (16) Pledged to restore the $5.1 billion commitment and specifics of the Kelowna Accord over five years to improve: education funding, housing conditions, access to potable water, and community economic development (16, 19)
Land Claims and Natural Resources
Allocated $54 million over two years in 2013 to speed up resolution of specific land claims, as demanded by Aboriginal leaders who met with Mr. Harper in 2013 (3) More details on the Conservative Party's’ Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	More details on the NDP Aboriginal Platform are expected soon	Will create a national strategy to deal with Aboriginal land claims and ensure consultation within a reasonable time frame (10) Pledged to create a ‘Federal Reconciliation Framework’ with mechanisms to resolve grievances associated with existing treaties and modern land-claims agreements, and to review all legislation introduced to ensure that laws respect Aboriginal rights (1, 9) Will create a process for Aboriginal peoples' participation in natural resource issues to ensure that they have a share in revenues generated from resources on their lands (10)	In partnership with Aboriginal Peoples, would work towards the creation of an Aboriginal Lands and Treaties Tribunal Act to establish an independent body to deal with specific land claims, ensure treaty negotiations are financed and conducted fairly, and ensure that claims resolutions do not result in extinguishment of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights (1, 16) Commit their support to those First Nations who have taken leadership in opposing supertankers and pipelines from going through their territory (15, 18) Pledged to negotiate and legislate hunting, fishing, trapping, and logging rights for Aboriginal peoples on traditional lands, particularly those under federal jurisdiction, subject to standards of sustainable harvesting (1, 16) Will ensure that governments and corporations honor and abide by the Sparrow Decision and the Tsilhqot'in ruling, which recognize Aboriginal right to fish and Aboriginal title respectively (16, 23) Pledged to amend laws to recognize Indigenous approval of natural resource projects as equivalent in weight to federal government approval (2)

I Can Party: Compare Canadian Political Parties

Law and Domestic Affairs

Post Secondary Education

References

Crime and Punishment

References

Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women

Synopsis

References

Child Care

References

Democratic Reform

Electoral Reform

Procedural and Democratic Reform

Financing, Oversight, and Governance

References

The Senate

Synopsis

References

Bill C-51

Synopsis

References

Further Reading

Bill C-24: Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act

References

Immigration

References

Health Care

Universal Health Care

Collaboration with Provinces/Territories to Manage Health Care Funding

Pharmacare

Mental Health

Other Policies

References

Aboriginal Policy

Federal-Aboriginal Relations and Governance

Social Services

Land Claims and Natural Resources

References