Unity & Progress

Canada’s Indigenous population, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, faces significant socioeconomic challenges, including poverty, lack of clean water, and housing issues, despite government spending over $20 billion annually on Indigenous programs. A Centrist government will work to replace the Indian Act, establish private property rights on reserves, respect treaties, and ensure Indigenous communities are fully consulted on resource projects. It will also increase federal spending and empower Indigenous voices to manage services in partnership with the federal government.

Homeownership in Canada has been declining since 2011, with only 66.5% of households owning homes in 2021, while renter households have grown at more than double the rate of homeowners. With Canada's population at 40 million and a growing housing shortage, the country needs to build 6 million homes by 2030, but current building rates fall far short. To address this crisis, a comprehensive plan is needed, including developing smaller towns around big cities, building smaller units, capping profits on new housing, limiting house flipping, and streamlining the permit process. Municipal governments must also support families building homes and incentivize material suppliers.

Lowering taxes is a top priority for the Centrist Party, which believes that government overspending leads to increased debt and deficits. The current approach, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in reckless spending without fiscal responsibility, making it challenging to control finances, especially in the event of a recession. While eliminating the deficit is difficult, it is possible, as demonstrated by the Liberal government of Jean Chrétien in the 1990s. A centrist government will focus on reducing the size of government, reviewing and controlling unnecessary spending, and aiming to balance the budget within five years. This includes reassessing foreign aid, corporate subsidies, and extravagant government perks, ultimately allowing for a reduction in personal income taxes once the deficit is eliminated.

The phrase "A house divided against itself cannot stand" emphasizes the importance of unity for Canada, which is increasingly polarized between Eastern and Western regions due to unequal treatment by both Liberal and Conservative governments. Quebec's claims of nationhood and its disproportionate access to equalization payments heighten tensions, leaving many Western Canadians feeling alienated, especially concerning energy issues. The Centrist Party seeks to address these divisions by promoting practical policies that prioritize national unity, including revising the equalization formula and empowering provinces over natural resources, ultimately aiming to foster cooperation and strengthen Canada as a whole.

Prioritizing the Canadian economy is essential for every government, given that Canada boasts the world's ninth-largest nominal GDP and a robust service sector employing nearly three-quarters of Canadians. The country is also a significant player in global energy markets, holding the third-largest oil reserves and being a top exporter of petroleum and natural gas. However, economic growth has stagnated recently, exacerbated by challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, increased global competition, and a volatile financial landscape. The Centrist Party advocates for comprehensive policy reforms to stimulate business growth, including fostering innovation through improved research collaboration, attracting private investments with competitive tax rates, enhancing the manufacturing sector, and promoting sustainable energy solutions. Additionally, focusing on skills training and entrepreneurship among Indigenous communities can further bolster economic development while addressing the challenges posed by an aging workforce.

Lack of transparency has plagued the Canadian government since its inception, resulting in financial and moral corruption, particularly peaking during recent administrations. The scandals that emerged under Harper's Conservative government from 2006 to 2015 highlighted unprecedented levels of mismanagement and a failure of accountability within our democratic institutions. To address these deep-rooted issues, it's essential to reform policies related to access to information, ethical breaches, and political accountability, while also introducing electoral reforms to reduce campaign expenses and improve governance. The Centrist Party advocates for complete transparency and integrity in government operations, emphasizing the need for accountability to the Canadian public.

Canada's identity and economy are deeply rooted in immigration, with approximately 96% of the population being descendants of immigrants, while only Indigenous peoples represent the authentic non-immigrant population. As the aging population begins to outnumber younger workers, there is a pressing need to ensure sustainable population growth to support economic output. Immigrants play a crucial role by providing labor, driving consumption, and fostering entrepreneurship, which are essential for maintaining economic growth. The Centrist Party advocates for reforming immigration policies to prioritize skilled economic immigrants while ensuring that Canadians are given first opportunities in the workforce, focusing less on refugees and irregular border crossings.

Creating a crime-free society is a top priority for the Centrist Party. To achieve this, we must tackle issues like poverty, poor living conditions, gang culture, and the drug trade while implementing educational, social, economic, and judicial reforms. We will collaborate with provincial governments to develop an educational curriculum aimed at fostering strong moral character in Canadian children. Additionally, we will work with provincial and municipal governments to improve housing conditions, enabling those in need to relocate to suburban areas. Expert consultations will be sought regarding longer sentences, except for terrorism and serial crimes, and correctional facilities will offer vocational training in various trades and skills.

The Centrist Party of Canada is committed to advancing gender equity through policies aimed at addressing gender-based violence, ensuring pay equality, and supporting women’s reproductive rights and political participation. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by marginalized women, the party proposes a National Action Plan to combat gender-based violence, with funding for shelters and support services. The party also aims to implement equitable pay standards and enhance law enforcement training on gender-based issues. Additionally, it advocates for accessible childcare and flexible parental leave to enable more women to enter the workforce, and supports policies that promote women's representation in politics and education to eliminate discrimination.

The Centrist Party of Canada recognizes climate change as a critical global issue and advocates for science-based, collaborative solutions to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Although Canada contributes only 1-2% of global greenhouse gases, the country has one of the highest per capita emissions. The Centrist Party’s climate action plan emphasizes setting 2030 emission reduction targets, building resilience in infrastructure, and investing in clean technology and sustainable practices. Key strategies include supporting Indigenous-led climate projects, focusing on adaptation in vulnerable sectors, restoring global carbon sinks, reducing oil and gas emissions, and redirecting revenues from the Trans Mountain Expansion Project into clean energy. The party also opposes the current federal carbon tax, advocating for balanced climate policies that promote economic stability while enhancing Canada’s role as an ESG leader.

The Centrist Party of Canada aims to balance public safety with the right to responsible gun ownership, emphasizing Canada's cultural heritage of lawful firearm use for hunting, sport, and self-defense. The party supports law-abiding gun owners, proposing to replace the current licensing system with a streamlined certification process, allowing ownership for those who avoid disqualifying criminal activity. To enhance public safety, the Centrist Party will increase resources for law enforcement to combat illegal firearms and gang violence, introduce stricter penalties for gun-related crimes, and implement measures to identify individuals at risk of violent behaviour. This approach supports responsible ownership while prioritizing community safety.