The Christian Democrat Party of Canada was a Canadian political party that organized briefly in 1981-82, in an attempt to start a right-wing populist party.[1][2]
The Christian Democrat Party [sic] was founded by Sydney Thompson, of Dunnville, Ontario. Thompson served in Korea with the Royal Canadian Navy, and managed the Hotel Plaza II in Toronto.
In a 1982 by-election in Toronto's Broadview—Greenwood riding, Thompson, running as an independent, won 38 votes, or 0.14% of the total. He placed eighth in a field of nine candidates, following three other independents and the Rhinoceros Party of Canada candidate, but placing ahead of perennial candidate John Turmel, who collected 19 votes.[3]
Party program
editThe party's political platform proposed to:[4]
- Support and encourage law enforcement agencies. Restore capital punishment.
- Increase the National Defence budget. Require compulsory service for young people. Re-divide the Canadian Armed Forces into the Royal Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force.
- Strengthen the economy by implementing political stability. Reduce the federal deficit. Restore full value of the Canadian dollar. Remove employable people from welfare roles by offering them productive jobs.
- Increase immigration with the ultimate goal of increasing population from 25 million to 200 million people. Encourage assimilation of immigrants and end multiculturalism policy.
- Pass legislation to bring inflation under control.
- Discover new energy resources; transport prisoners to northern areas to exploit energy resources.
- Adopt a "Canada first" foreign policy. Halt foreign aid to communist countries and other dictatorships.
- Abolish bilingualism policy.
- Deport to the country of their choice any person advocating the separation of Quebec or another province from Canada.
- Reduce taxes in general, and aim to eliminate the personal income tax over time.
- Review performance of boards of education and pass legislation where warranted to improve education. (Note: in Canada, education is a responsibility of provincial governments.)
- Abolish the metric system, and return to the Imperial system of weights and measures.
- Repeal law permitting homosexual acts.
- Prohibit abortion other than in cases of rape and incest. Create and staff adoption centres.
- Pass laws to oppose the use of narcotics and marijuana.
- Appoint cabinet ministers who have experience in the areas for which they are responsible.
References
edit- ^ Dunnville Chronicle, "Former Dunnville resident works promoting new national political party", 2 September 1981.
- ^ Hamilton Spectator, "New political movement favors far-right goals", 23 July 1981.
- ^ Federal by-election results from the Library of Parliament website[permanent dead link]
- ^ "The Christian Democrat Party of Canada", pamphlet published by the Christian Democrat Party of Canada, 1981.