Canadian Action Party
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Action Party (CAP) (French: Parti action canadienne [PAC]) is a Canadian
federal
political party
founded in 1997. It promotes Canadian nationalism
, monetary
and electoral reform
, and opposes neoliberal globalization and free trade
agreements.
, a former Liberal
minister of defence in the cabinet of Lester Pearson. Hellyer ran unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1968, and for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party
in 1976.
It nominated candidates for the first time in the 1997 federal election
.
After the 1997 election, it absorbed the Canada Party
, another minor party concerned about monetary reform which had been formed by former members of the Social Credit Party of Canada
. Former Canada Party leader Claire Foss
served as vice president of CAP until November 2003.
Hellyer resigned as CAP leader in 2003 after the New Democratic Party
didn't agree to a merger proposal, under which the NDP would change its name. In 2004, Connie Fogal
, an activist lawyer, was acclaimed party leader after David Orchard
failed to respond to an invitation to take over the leadership. Fogal stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Andrew J. Moulden following the 2008 federal election
.
Moulden resigned as CAP leader on August 4, 2009 and joined the Christian Heritage Party
.
From October 2009 to September 2010, Melissa Brade has been acting as Leader of the Canadian Action Party.
In September 2010, Christopher Porter
became Leader of the Canadian Action Party.
A number of CAP members also belong to the Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform
(COMER) and have been influential in developing CAP's monetary policy, particularly its position that the Bank of Canada
, rather than chartered banks, should provide loans to the government, if required, to fund public spending.
CAP also argues for the abrogation of North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), and opposes current government initiatives leading to the Free Trade Area of the Americas
(FTAA), and what it sees as integration with the United States
and Mexico
into a North American Union
.
CAP asserts that the War on Terrorism
has eroded and will continue to erode civil liberties in addition to creating wars of aggression. CAP does not support the 9/11 Commission
's report on the September 11 attacks in 2001. CAP leaders have also expressed skepticism concerning official accounts of the September 11 attacks in 2001 and advocated alternative explanations. At its 2006 convention, CAP passed a motion calling for a Royal Commission to investigate the September 11 attacks and Canada's participation in Afghanistan. CAP argues that the truth of what really happened on September 11, 2001 has yet to be uncovered; and that in the meantime, Canadians have been subject to anti-terrorism laws and security agreements, such as Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), that have compromised Canadian sovereignty and civil rights. It also calls for a moratorium on anti-terrorist legislation to be re-examined only after receiving the results of that Royal Commission's investigation.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
federal
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded in 1997. It promotes Canadian nationalism
Canadian nationalism
Canadian nationalism is a term which has been applied to ideologies of several different types which highlight and promote specifically Canadian interests over those of other countries, notably the United States...
, monetary
Monetary reform
Monetary reform describes any movement or theory that proposes a different system of supplying money and financing the economy from the current system.Monetary reformers may advocate any of the following, among other proposals:...
and electoral reform
Electoral reform
Electoral reform is change in electoral systems to improve how public desires are expressed in election results. That can include reforms of:...
, and opposes neoliberal globalization and free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
agreements.
Background
The Canadian Action Party was founded by Paul T. HellyerPaul Hellyer
Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:...
, a former Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
minister of defence in the cabinet of Lester Pearson. Hellyer ran unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1968, and for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
in 1976.
It nominated candidates for the first time in the 1997 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
.
After the 1997 election, it absorbed the Canada Party
Canada Party
The Canada Party was a short-lived political party in Canada that nominated 56 candidates in the 1993 federal election and one candidate in a 1996 by-election. It was unable to win any seats. The party was populist and ran on a platform of banking and monetary reform...
, another minor party concerned about monetary reform which had been formed by former members of the Social Credit Party of Canada
Social Credit Party of Canada
The Social Credit Party of Canada was a conservative-populist political party in Canada that promoted social credit theories of monetary reform...
. Former Canada Party leader Claire Foss
Claire Foss
Claire A. Foss is a retired businessperson from British Columbia, Canada, who ran for election to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993, 1997, and 2004 elections. He was born in Tofield, Alberta....
served as vice president of CAP until November 2003.
Hellyer resigned as CAP leader in 2003 after the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
didn't agree to a merger proposal, under which the NDP would change its name. In 2004, Connie Fogal
Connie Fogal
Constance Fogal is the former leader of the Canadian Action Party. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where her late husband Harry Rankin was a long time progressive city councillor. She is an anti-globalization activist and was an opponent of the...
, an activist lawyer, was acclaimed party leader after David Orchard
David Orchard
David Orchard is a Canadian political figure, member of the Liberal Party of Canada, who was the Liberal Party candidate for the Saskatchewan riding of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in the 2008 federal election.Previously, Orchard was a member of the now defunct Progressive Conservative...
failed to respond to an invitation to take over the leadership. Fogal stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Andrew J. Moulden following the 2008 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2008
The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008...
.
Moulden resigned as CAP leader on August 4, 2009 and joined the Christian Heritage Party
Christian Heritage Party of Canada
The Christian Heritage Party of Canada, also referred to as CHP Canada, is a federal political party that advocates that Canada be governed according to Biblical principles...
.
From October 2009 to September 2010, Melissa Brade has been acting as Leader of the Canadian Action Party.
In September 2010, Christopher Porter
Christopher Porter
Christopher Porter was the biggest buyer and seller of dolphins in the world. In the period from 2003 to 2009 he had sold 83 dolphins around the world. In late 2009, he decided to leave the dolphin-export business and become an environmental activist...
became Leader of the Canadian Action Party.
Positions
As of the new leader (Brade), CAP has announced new interim policies shifting the traditional priority emphasis from monetary reform policies to issues of biological threats, compulsory vaccinations and aboriginal affairs. These policies are subject to membership approval but are presented on the website as current CAP policy until convention.A number of CAP members also belong to the Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform
Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform
The Committee on Monetary and Economic Reform is an international publishing and education centre based in Toronto, Canada.Its mandate is to study the destabilization that its members believe current economic and monetary policies have caused, and are causing, for the citizens of Canada and other...
(COMER) and have been influential in developing CAP's monetary policy, particularly its position that the Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
, rather than chartered banks, should provide loans to the government, if required, to fund public spending.
CAP also argues for the abrogation of North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA), and opposes current government initiatives leading to the Free Trade Area of the Americas
Free Trade Area of the Americas
The Free Trade Area of the Americas , , ) was a proposed agreement to eliminate or reduce the trade barriers among all countries in the Americas but Cuba. In the last round of negotiations, trade ministers from 34 countries met in Miami, United States, in November 2003 to discuss the proposal...
(FTAA), and what it sees as integration with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
into a North American Union
North American Union
The North American Union is a theoretical economic union, in some instances also a political union, of Canada, Mexico, and the United States...
.
CAP asserts that the War on Terrorism
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
has eroded and will continue to erode civil liberties in addition to creating wars of aggression. CAP does not support the 9/11 Commission
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
's report on the September 11 attacks in 2001. CAP leaders have also expressed skepticism concerning official accounts of the September 11 attacks in 2001 and advocated alternative explanations. At its 2006 convention, CAP passed a motion calling for a Royal Commission to investigate the September 11 attacks and Canada's participation in Afghanistan. CAP argues that the truth of what really happened on September 11, 2001 has yet to be uncovered; and that in the meantime, Canadians have been subject to anti-terrorism laws and security agreements, such as Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), that have compromised Canadian sovereignty and civil rights. It also calls for a moratorium on anti-terrorist legislation to be re-examined only after receiving the results of that Royal Commission's investigation.
Party leaders
- Paul HellyerPaul HellyerPaul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:...
, 1997–2004 - Connie FogalConnie FogalConstance Fogal is the former leader of the Canadian Action Party. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where her late husband Harry Rankin was a long time progressive city councillor. She is an anti-globalization activist and was an opponent of the...
, 2004 - November 2008 - Andrew J. Moulden, November 2008 - August 2009
- Dave Wilkinson, August 2009 - October 2009
- Melissa Brade, October 2009 - September 2010
- Christopher PorterChristopher PorterChristopher Porter was the biggest buyer and seller of dolphins in the world. In the period from 2003 to 2009 he had sold 83 dolphins around the world. In late 2009, he decided to leave the dolphin-export business and become an environmental activist...
, September 2010 – present
Party presidents
- Claire FossClaire FossClaire A. Foss is a retired businessperson from British Columbia, Canada, who ran for election to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1993, 1997, and 2004 elections. He was born in Tofield, Alberta....
, ? - 2003 - Connie FogalConnie FogalConstance Fogal is the former leader of the Canadian Action Party. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where her late husband Harry Rankin was a long time progressive city councillor. She is an anti-globalization activist and was an opponent of the...
, 2003–2004 - Catherine Whelan Costen, November 2005 - January 2007
- Bev Collins, February 2007 - 2008
- Marc Bombois, 2008 - August 2008
- Paul Kemp, August 2008 - 2009
- Calvin Keats, 2009 - July 2010
- Noelene Smith, July 2010 – present
Election results
| Election | Leader | # of candidates | # of votes | % of popular vote | % of popular vote in ridings contested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 election Canadian federal election, 1997 The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government... |
Paul Hellyer Paul Hellyer Paul Theodore Hellyer, PC is a Canadian engineer, politician, writer and commentator who has had a long and varied career. He is the longest serving current member of the Privy Council, just ahead of Prince Philip.-Early life:... |
58 | 17,502 | 0.13% | 0.67% |
| 2000 election Canadian federal election, 2000 The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada.... |
Paul Hellyer | 70 | 27,101 | 0.21% | 0.85% |
| 2004 election Canadian federal election, 2004 The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections... |
Connie Fogal Connie Fogal Constance Fogal is the former leader of the Canadian Action Party. A lawyer and former teacher, Fogal lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where her late husband Harry Rankin was a long time progressive city councillor. She is an anti-globalization activist and was an opponent of the... |
45 | 8,930 | 0.06% | 0.41% |
| 2006 election Canadian federal election, 2006 The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:... |
Connie Fogal | 36 | 6,102 | 0.04% | 0.35% |
| 2008 election Canadian federal election, 2008 The 2008 Canadian federal election was held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 40th Canadian Parliament after the previous parliament had been dissolved by the Governor General on September 7, 2008... |
Connie Fogal | 20 | 3,495 | 0.03% | 0.38% |
| 2011 election | Christopher Porter Christopher Porter Christopher Porter was the biggest buyer and seller of dolphins in the world. In the period from 2003 to 2009 he had sold 83 dolphins around the world. In late 2009, he decided to leave the dolphin-export business and become an environmental activist... |
12 | 1,951 | 0.01% | 0.33% |
| Date | By-Election | Candidate | # of votes | % of popular vote | Place | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1998 | Port Moody-Coquitlam Port Moody-Coquitlam Port Moody-Coquitlam is a provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada established by the Electoral Districts Act, 2008. It was first contested in the 2009 general election in which BC Liberal Iain Black was elected as its MLA... |
Will Arlow | 156 | 0.54% | 6/8 | Lou Sekora Lou Sekora Louis "Lou" Sekora is a Canadian politician.Born in Hafford, Saskatchewan, Sekora served as mayor of Coquitlam, British Columbia, from 1983 to 1997. He was first elected to city council in 1972... (Liberal) |
| Nov 15, 1999 | York West York West York West is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1904 and since 1917.Its population was 110,384 in 2001... |
Stephen Burega | 242 | 1.78% | 5/6 | Judy Sgro Judy Sgro Judy Sgro, PC, MP is a Canadian politician. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, she currently represents the electoral district of York West in the Canadian House of Commons.-Councillor:... (Liberal) |
| Sep 11, 2000 | Okanagan-Coquihalla | Jack William Peach | 1,159 | 4.19% | 4/8 | Stockwell Day Stockwell Day Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of... (Alliance) |
| Nov 27, 2006 | London North Centre London North Centre London North Centre is an electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.... |
Will Arlow | 29 | 0.13% | 7/7 | Glen Pearson Glen Pearson Glen Douglas Pearson is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a former Member of Parliament for London North Centre, and is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.-Life and career:... (Liberal) |
| Nov 27, 2006 | Repentigny Repentigny (electoral district) Repentigny is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997.It consists solely and entirely of the Regional County Municipality of L'Assomption.-Demographics:... |
Mahmood Raza Baig | 91 | 0.29% | 6/7 | Raymond Gravel Raymond Gravel Raymond Gravel is a Catholic priest from the Canadian province of Quebec, who was formerly the Member of Parliament for the riding of Repentigny, as a member of the Bloc Québécois... (Bloc) |
| Sep 17, 2007 | Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot | Michel St-Onge | 61 | 0.19% | 7/7 | Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac is a Canadian politician. She was elected to the Canadian House of Commons on September 17, 2007, as the Bloc Québécois candidate in the Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot by-election, defeating the Conservative candidate Bernard Barré.Born in Vietnam, Thi Lac was adopted at age two by a... (Bloc) |
| Sep 17, 2007 | Outremont Outremont Outremont may refer to:*Outremont, Quebec - a borough and former town in Montreal*Outremont - a Canadian federal electoral district*Outremont - a Quebec provincial electoral district... |
Alexandre Amirizian | 45 | 0.19% | 9/12 | Thomas Mulcair Thomas Mulcair Thomas J. "Tom" Mulcair is a Canadian lawyer, university professor, and politician. He is the federal Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, Canada, and currently holds a seat in the New Democratic Party of Canada... (New Democrat) |
| Mar 17, 2008 | Toronto Centre Toronto Centre Toronto Centre is a federal electoral district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1925, and since 1935, under the names Centre Toronto , Toronto Centre , Rosedale and Toronto Centre—Rosedale .Toronto Centre covers the heart of... |
Doug Plumb | 97 | 0.40% | 6/6 | Bob Rae Bob Rae Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.... (Liberal) |
| Mar 17, 2008 | Vancouver Quadra Vancouver Quadra Vancouver Quadra is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949.... |
Psamuel Frank | 40 | 0.14% | 6/6 | Joyce Murray Joyce Murray Joyce Murray is a Canadian politician. She currently represents the electoral district of Vancouver Quadra as a Liberal Member of the Canadian House of Commons, and was previously a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2001 to 2005.-Background:Ms Murray graduated... (Liberal) |
See also
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 2011 Canadian federal election
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 2008 Canadian federal election
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 2006 Canadian federal electionCanadian Action Party candidates, 2006 Canadian federal electionThe Canadian Action Party fielded a number of candidates in the 2006 federal election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found here.-James Stephen Kohut :...
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 2004 Canadian federal electionCanadian Action Party candidates, 2004 Canadian federal electionThe Canadian Action Party ran a number of candidates in the 2004 federal election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found here.-Magnus Thompson :...
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 2000 Canadian federal electionCanadian Action Party candidates, 2000 Canadian federal electionThe Canadian Action Party fielded a number of candidates in the 2000 federal election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found here.-Ross Elliott :...
- Canadian Action Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal electionCanadian Action Party candidates, 1997 Canadian federal electionThe Canadian Action Party fielded a number of candidates in the 1997 federal election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found on this page.-Chatham-Kent—Essex: Victor Knight:...
- List of political parties in Canada
External links
- Canadian Action Party, English website
- Parti action canadienne, French website