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New Democratic Party of Canada Platform

The NDP are a left-wing, ideologically driven, and nationally based political party. The party advocates social democratic policies and tends not to drastically alter its policies with changes in public attitudes. The party is nationally orientated with support across the country.

Policy Overview

Leader: Jack Layton

The NDP will emphasize policies that develop an environmentally- and socially-responsible Canada . They have clear opinions on controversial issues such as same-sex marriage. Layton will use his experience in Toronto city politics to guide policies that deal with municipalities.

Health Care

The NDP has said that all Canadians should have access to quality health care, regardless of their wealth. They would establish a Royal Commission to evaluate how to protect the sustainability of medicare. National standards of equal access would be enforced across the country. They have proposed the following reforms:

• Increase the federal share of health care funding to 25%
• Reduce prescription drug costs and start a national pharmacare program
• Prohibit public money from going to private, for-profit clinics
• Implement a national home care program
• Improve health care services for First Nations
• Ensure access to safe abortions
• Introduce preventative measures such as encouraging exercise, better nutrition, and a healthy environment
• Create a National Public Health Agency

Same-sex Marriage

The NDP supports same-sex marriage. They would introduce legislation making same-sex marriage legal and equal to heterosexual marriages, without a free vote in Parliament.

Defence

The NDP have promised to improve pay, benefits, and living conditions for members of the Canadian Forces. They are committed to making Canada a leader in peacekeeping. They have proposed the following reforms:

• Better housing on military bases
• More funding for educational and health care services for military personnel
• Refusal to participate in a missile-defence system with the USA

Marijuana

The NDP supports the decriminalization of marijuana. They are committed to ensuring that it is used safely and responsibly by implementing the following proposals:

• A national discussion about rules regarding age, driving under the influence, and grow operations
• Keeping it out of the hands of minors
• Changing the fines and dropping convictions for past offenses for simple possession

Municipalities

The NDP have promised to implement the following funding increases and reforms:

• Implement a national housing strategy that would see 1% of the federal budget devoted to developing non-profit, affordable housing
• Creation of a national public transit strategy for transit upgrades, tax deductions, and lowering fees
• Give half of the federal gas tax to municipalities for infrastructure repair
• Development of a permanent infrastructure to protect the water supply

Crime

The NDP sees poverty and children at risk as the root causes of crime, and intend to address those issues first. They intend to introduce opportunities for young people to divert them away from crime.

Gun Registry

The NDP supports gun control. They have concerns about the cost of the gun registry as implemented by the Liberals.

Democratic Reform and Accountability

The NDP have promised to increase accountability and introduce democratic reforms through the following measures:

• Abolish the Senate
• Introduce proportional representation
• Ensure full disclosure of the funding of party leadership campaigns
• Ratification of international agreements and decisions to send the military abroad by the House of Commons, not just the Prime Minister
• Establish an Ethics Commissioner that would report to Parliament

Taxes

The NDP wants to see income tax reform focus on low-income Canadians. They want to improve tax fairness by implementing the following reforms:

• Introduce a Child Benefit Plan to help middle-class families and tackle child poverty
• Close tax loopholes for big business
• Roll back corporate tax cuts
• Introduce a 20% tax imposed on profits of over 10% by financial institutions
• Make public transit passes for employees tax deductible for employers
• Use tax incentives to create housing in city centres to prevent urban sprawl

Foreign Policy

The NDP wants to make Canada a leader in nuclear disarmament, arms control, human rights, democracy, peace, and security. They have proposed the following reforms:

• Cancellation of all debts owed to Canada by developing countries
• Increase international aid
• Environmental agreements take precedence over trade agreements
• Focus on eradication poverty

Immigration

The NDP has said that family reunification should be the core principle of Canadian policies on immigration and refugees. They support the following proposals:

• Annual immigration targets of 1% of the population
• Improve recognition of foreign credentials of professionals
• End the head tax on immigrants

Environment

The NDP is committed to making Canada more environmentally responsible. They have proposed the following reforms:

• Develop a new Crown Corporation for renewable energy with the sale of the federal government's stake in Petro-Canada
• Help Canada shift from fossil and nuclear energy toward green energy with a tax regime
• Encourage the growth of wind energy
• Establish an Atmospheric Fund and auction off emission credits to corporations
• Establish a university degree program in green technology
• Introduce an Environment Bill of Rights

The NDP has also developed plans to address specific environment issues:

• Transportation
• Improve public transit, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in urban areas
• Make emission targets for car manufacturers in Canada mandatory
• Provide GST rebates for greener cars
• The Kyoto Accord
• Create an east-west transmission grid to export cleaner power from Quebec and Manitoba to coal-dependent western provinces
• Retrofit buildings to cut pollution, reduce energy costs, and create jobs

• Water
• Cities should make clean water and sustainable waste water a priority
• A ban on bulk water exports
• Create a federal department on water stewardship
• National guidelines for clean drinking water

• Toxics
• Ban all imports of toxic waste
• Require scientific evidence of a chemical's safety

• Biodiversity
• Let scientists, not politicians, make environmental decisions
• Impose moratoriums on genetically engineered crops and fish farms
• Develop sustainable forestry practices

Aboriginals

The NDP is committed to respecting treaties and working with aboriginals and provinces to resolve land claims. They respect the aboriginal right to self-government. They have laid out the following priorities for aboriginal affairs:

• Work with aboriginal communities to foster economic development
• Invest in funding, staff, and facilities for First Nations
• Include First Nations leaders in health care discussions
• Aboriginals should administer their own health care programs with federal government investment
• Clean water for First Nations communities

Trade

The NDP has promised to develop new global trade rules that would ensure the protection of human rights, labour standards, and the environment. They also believe that water should be exempt from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the World Trade Organization, and other trade agreements.

Education

The NDP will protect post-secondary education through the following reforms:

• Lower tuition fees by 10%
• Create an interest-free Canada Student Loans program
• Put a ban on private, for-profit universities
• Provide bankruptcy protection for students

Child Care

The NDP has promised to make high-quality child care and preschool education a priority. They have introduced the following proposals:

• Introduce a national child care and education plan
• Improve pre- and post-natal care
• Support for working parents by implementing a national day-care program

The Economy 

The NDP is committed to balancing budgets and slow debt reduction. Job creation will be their economic priority. They have proposed the following reforms:

• Restore Employment Insurance and training programs
• Improve maternity and parental leave
• Access to benefits for part-time work
• Eliminate GST for essential goods

Mapleleafweb Links

• 2003 NDP Leadership Race
• Mapleleafweb Interview with NDP Leader Layton

External Links

• NDP Website
• NDP on the Issues

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This page was last modified: August 10, 2007