How do the economic platforms of political parties differ from one another?

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1 How do the economic platforms of political parties differ from one another? Economic Platform: details (description) of what policies a political party supports and believes will maintain and grow the country s economy. It includes policies about taxation, spending and both international and domestic (at home in Canada) affairs (concerns). A party s platform reflects the values of the people that are members of the party. The words left wing and right wing and centre are used to describe a party s platform. Policy: a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by a government, party, business, or individual. A policy describes principles (important beliefs or valuesfor example, when you go to a high school, one of the principles they uphold is open communication - this means it s important to them that you have a voice in your education and can always feel free to talk to your teacher or principals about any problems you are having) or procedures (how things will be done- example, to get into a high school you have to register- you can t just show up and start attending) or conditions (what must be in place for a certain thing to happen- for example, a condition of you being accepted/attending into high school is that you fail no more than 2 classes in grade 9). These terms refer to a party s position on the economic spectrum: Left wing: more government involvement and ownership in the economy, more spending on comprehensive (wide ranging- a lot of people would benefit from them, not a few) social programs, higher taxes to pay for extra services like social programs, and more support for a planned economy. Centre: mainly private ownership with some government intervention and ownership of key industries (like healthcare), a medium amount of taxation to pay for social services, and support for a mixed economy. Right wing: less government involvement and ownership in the economy, less spending money on social programs, lower taxes, incentives (A thing that motivates or encourages one to do something- in this case, it could be bigger tax breaks for businesses) for big business, support for the market economy. Liberals in Canada are considered more of a centre party, Conservatives (PC) more right wing and NDP/Green more left wing. In the USA, Republicans are more right wing than Democrats, but Democrats might still be considered

2 more right wing than the Liberals in Canada. Democrats would be more likely than the Republicans to spend money on social programs (they brought in Obama Care healthcare for all in the USA and the Republicans are mainly against it). Republicans believe more strongly in private enterprise (ownership) and are less likely to support government regulations to protect the environment. US citizens (in general) are considered more right wing than Canadians and are more likely to support the idea of less government policy and regulation. Canada has a mixed economy, so parties are not considered fully left wing or right wing/or centre. Remember they can move on the spectrum from time to time, depending what policy they are supporting, if they are trying to win an election or are opposing the government that is in power. The result of our recent provincial elections with the NDPs being elected will result in a shift left on the economic spectrum in Alberta as the former elected government, the PCs, were on the right side of the spectrum. In general, as an example, the Liberals would support more money spent on social programs than the Conservatives, and the NDP would support more money spent on social programs than both the Liberals and Conservatives. 3 main political parties in Canada are the Progressive Conservatives (PC), Liberals, and New Democrat Party (NDP), but there are many others (Green, Communist, etc.). Remember, the Bloc Quebecois exists only in Quebec, but also has an impact on Canadian politics... they generally support policies considered to be left of centre (more government, more spending, more taxation, more concern for social program, regulations to protect the environment, etc.). How is a political party s philosophy reflected in its platform? Its philosophy is reflected in its platforms through the policies it makes and the way it believes government funds should be collected and spent. For example: at party s policies on social programs can reflect wether a citizen should be able to rely on the government for certain services (like healthcare and Employment insurance) or if citizens should be responsible for their own well-being. Another example: Beliefs about welfare spending and eligibility (who can get it) vary between Canada s political parties. Parties who are more on the right wing of the spectrum (entire range of values/beliefs), generally feel citizens should rely less on the government for their personal well-being. These parties would be likely to support less government funding of welfare and more stringent (severe/

3 tight- not as many people benefit. Tough conditions to qualify) guidelines as to who qualifies than parties more central or left of centre. Policies about tax can reflect a party s philosophy. Taxation models are ideas about how much to tax citizens, how much goods and services to tax, and how to spend the money that is paid to government in taxes. Policies that parties make about taxation can help tell you about a party s belief about personal responsibility versus the collective good. Higher taxes generally mean the party has a philosophy that all people should contribute to the welfare of the collective group in society. Parties that support lower taxes, reveal a philosophy in which it is believed that people can and should look after themselves. Flat tax: means everyone pays the same percentage of tax (low income and high income earners pay the same). Alberta s income tax is a flat tax, meaning all citizens who are required to pay tax are charged the same percentage regardless of how much money they make. Parties that support a flat tax, generally support wealth as a motivation for hard work- people aren t punished for making more money by having to pay more in tax. Progressive (increasing the more money you make) taxation occurs when people are charged a higher percentage of tax for making more money. Parties who support progressive taxation are likely to believe that people who can afford to pay more tax should do so in order to help those who cannot. How does the underground economy impact the federal and provincial tax base and social programs? Government income is almost totally reliant (dependent) on taxation, and those who don t pay taxes on what they earn, have a negative effect on government spending (if they don t pay the tax, the government has less money to spend). Tax evasion: an illegal practice where someone does not honestly report how much money he or she made to the government in an effort to pay less tax. The black market: is when good and services are sold illegally; people buy goods that are not allowed in their country (e.g. in Canada, Elephant tusks are illegal to buy because they are protected, but you could probably buy them illegally on the black market), or when people avoid paying goods and services (some people pay in cash so they don t get charged GST by a business... like if you had your driveway paved or lawn mowed and didn t pay GST). The tax base of a country is

4 affected by all these illegal practices because the income is not reported to or taxed by the government, and as a result, the government collects less tax than it should. This can impact social programs because the government has less money to spend and social programs often are the first to have their budgets cut (made less). How do government decisions on environmental issues impact quality of life? The government can make decisions that either work toward the preservation of the environment or the exploitation (use for profit/benefit) of it. If a government declares an area of land to be protected by law, it is working to preserve (protect) the plants and animals in the area. Demands for resources in an area (such as lumber and water) can cause damage to the environment which has a negative effect on the quality of life of the people, plants and animals living there. By preventing or limiting development, the government can have a positive effect on quality of life; less pollution and preventing destruction of other important parts of the environment, for example, the freshwater supply. Decisions about natural resources made by a government can impact quality of life. Canada is rich with many natural resources that are in high demand (oil, lumber, fresh water), and the government can make gains (money, etc.) through the trade of these resources. Some people think this improves quality of life because the government becomes wealthier and is able to spend more on the needs of citizens. Others believe that because of the environmental impact associated with getting these resources and making them into products that can be sold (e.g. the oilfields in Alberta/lumber), quality of life is diminished (made less). What factors influence immigration policies in Canada? Immigration: when people leave their home (move) and live in another country. A lot of people want to move to Canada (immigrate), and the Canadian government must ensure that the people who immigrate to Canada will be a positive addition to the country. To do this, the government makes policies about who is and who is not allowed to come and live in Canada. Factors that influence the government s decision about who is allowed to immigrate to Canada: Economics: people who have skills and knowledge that could benefit Canada s economy are considered desirable (wanted); people who have already been offered

5 a job in Canada are desirable because they will contribute to the economy as soon as they arrive and won t be a drain on the economy (e.g. collect welfare); the government knows that population growth can help boost the economy so more people living here can help the economy. Canada accepts more of this type (economic) immigrant than any other. Politics: in some countries people are persecuted (treated badly) as a result of their political or religious beliefs. These people can come to Canada under refugee status. When the government accepts immigrants under refugee status they are making a political statement that Canada does not condone (accept or allow) such persecution by other governments and that Canada is committed to protecting and supporting human rights. People who have been forced to leave their homes because of war or other violence can also apply to come to Canada under refugee status. Health: the Canadian government considers people s health when looking at applications for immigration. Except for people immigrating under refugee or family (being reunited with family already in the country) status, a person can be refused entry into Canada because of their health. This is done to prevent a dangerous contagious (spreadable/catching) disease from putting a large strain on Canada s healthcare system. Some mental conditions could also be a reason for the government to restrict a person s entry into Canada. Security: security of the nation is another factor the government considers when making immigration law and policy. The government does not want to let people into Canada who are deemed to be subversive (trying to undermine the power and authority of the government- a danger to other Canadians), or are members of a group that is considered subversive (e.g. terrorist groups). How are changes to Canadian policies on immigration and refugees a reflection on world issues? Think of Sept 11, 2001 in the USA... it had a major effect on decisions make by Canada s government about who is allowed to come into the country. Canada s immigration laws changed significantly (major change) to try and prevent those involved in terrorist activities from entering Canada. Global standards and domestic policies for human rights have influenced change in Canada s immigration policies. Remember there was a time when people were denied entry into Canada because of their ethnicity or race (remember the laws that kept

6 immigrants of Asian origin out of Canada, Chinese Head Tax, or Continuos Journey Regulation). What impact does increasing immigration have on Aboriginal people s and communities? Many Aboriginal people believe that the government does not do enough to address the needs and issues of Aboriginal people; immigration makes this worse for them because immigrants fill jobs that could be had by Aboriginals, etc. Many Aboriginal groups are joining together to ask the Canadian Government to make sure they are addressing the need for Aboriginals human rights and standards of living be looked after before letting new immigrants into Canada. How are provincial governments able to influence and implement (put into practice) immigration policies? The populations and economies of Canada s provinces vary a lot and so do their needs and desires for immigrants. In Alberta, the economy is one of the fastest growing in Canada, and it has been experiencing a labour shortage for years; the Provincial Nomination Program allows provinces to specify the need for immigrants in particular areas. The program also allows some provinces to set up their own immigration offices in foreign countries. Governments in Canada can t force immigrants to settle in particular places or work particular jobs. The provincial nomination program increases the chance that immigrants will settle in the provinces whose labour needs match their skills. How is the implementation of immigration policies in Quebec an attempt to strengthen the French language in North America? Canada-Quebec Accord signed in allows Quebec to choose Frenchspeaking immigrants from around the world and Quebec insists that immigrants send their children to French schools or enrol in French programs. This has increased the number of French-speaking immigrants coming into Canada and has helped to promote and preserve Francophone (French) culture in Quebec, and in turn, North America. What is the relationship between immigration policies in Canada and the rights guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms?

7 Since 1982 (implementation of Charter) immigrants have more rights than they did before. Any immigrant who has made it physically to Canada is protected by the Charter. If an immigrant s application is denied, they have a right to a hearing and to remain in Canada until their trial. For those seeking refugee status, the government will provide them with necessities until a decision is made about their application. To what extent does Canada benefit from immigration? Examples: stronger economy, multicultural make-up (Canada s identity). Canada is seen by the world as a welcoming country with a thriving economy and this is good for Canada s role in world politics and economies. There is debate about how much Canada benefits from immigration. It depends on your perspective... some people believe immigration is harmful to Canada (immigrants take jobs and cost money in healthcare, etc).