Election 2006

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Click on each political party logo to review their stance on the key issues.

The Liberals established a new Secretariat based in Washington to coordinate and facilitate better cooperation It opened seven new consulates in the United States Martin’s Liberals will invest more than $500 million over the next five years to implement Can-Trade, to expand trade relations in other countries The Martin government announced in October 2005 the Pacific Gateway strategy The strategy will see $590 million spent to support investment in transportation infrastructure at strategy gateways and trade corridors The Liberals will continue to push the U.S. to respect the rules of NAFTA and its dispute resolution system During the 2006 election campaign, Paul Martin pledged: $46 million added to DaimlerChrysler's planned investment of $768 million on upgrades to its Windsor and Brampton operations; $100 million in the re-development of the Ford Motor Co.'s Oakville, Ont. facility; $200 million for General Motor's $2.5-billion Beacon Project; $55 million for a new Toyota assembly plant in Woodstock, Ont. The Liberals established a new Secretariat based in Washington to coordinate and facilitate better cooperation It opened seven new consulates in the United States Martin’s Liberals will invest more than $500 million over the next five years to implement Can-Trade, to expand trade relations in other countries The Martin government announced in October 2005 the Pacific Gateway strategy The strategy will see $590 million spent to support investment in transportation infrastructure at strategy gateways and trade corridors The Liberals will continue to push the U.S. to respect the rules of NAFTA and its dispute resolution system During the 2006 election campaign, Paul Martin pledged: $46 million added to DaimlerChrysler's planned investment of $768 million on upgrades to its Windsor and Brampton operations; $100 million in the re-development of the Ford Motor Co.'s Oakville, Ont. facility; $200 million for General Motor's $2.5-billion Beacon Project; $55 million for a new Toyota assembly plant in Woodstock, Ont. The Liberals will support export market promotion of Canada’s agri-food products through the new CAN-Trade international strategy They will invest in food safety and food quality initiatives to ensure a safe food supply for Canadians and to assist the export marketing of our products The Liberals vow to renew the Municipal Rural and other infrastructure funds They also aim to provide new funding for access to broadband services They will work with agricultural stakeholders and the provinces to continue to improve the farm income support system and specifically to address improved methods of assistance in times of income disasters The Liberals also promise to explore ways to help producers earn a greater share of the total value of agri-food products They aim to continue funding conservation and greencover incentives, after the current program expires in 2007–08 They vow to promote export opportunities for wood products into growing markets such as China The Liberals will also provide loan insurance to enhance the creditworthiness of firms affected by the softwood lumber dispute The party supports economic diversification in communities affected by recent job losses The Liberals also aim to improve market access and address ongoing trade disputes and barriers The party promises support for the 300 Community Futures Development Corporations which provide, among other services, loans to small local businesses in rural and small communities The Liberals also vow to provide $90 million of financial support over five years for information services of real value to small and mid-sized business, including: BizPaL, a web-based service that allows easy access to a customized list of permits and licences required from all levels of government; and Canada Business, a primary source of business information for entrepreneurs. The Liberal government will invest almost $500 million over the next five years to implement CAN-Trade, a network of programs and services The Liberals will also invest in a $250 million Global Success Fund to assist smaller companies to link to global supply networks Liberals vow to expand trade officer representation in key markets, including China, India and Brazil They also intend to create a corporate social responsibility centre, which will ensure Canadian activities in emerging markets foster social and environmental as well as economic goals The Liberal trade strategy will also include an initiative for sustainable cities, which links Canadian firms to opportunities for improving the sustainability of major cities in developing nations	Replace the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program with separate farm income stabilization and disaster relief programs that address the cost of production, market revenue, and inventory evaluation Commit to adding an additional $500 million annually to farm support programs Speed up delivery of the $755 million in emergency aid the government promised grain and oilseed farmers in November Ensure that agricultural industries that choose to operate under domestic supply management remain viable Give western grain farmers the freedom to make their own marketing and transportation decisions Work with stakeholders in all fields of research and various industry sectors to explore expanding the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit Tories vow to support the phased reduction of all trade-distorting barriers and the rapid elimination of all agriculture export subsidies Implement a Green Cover Crop Program to protect prairie farmers, and create a compensation fund for those facing the consequences of crop damage cause by severe flooding Guarantee repayment of illegally imposed softwood lumber tariffs through Export Development Canada Commit to investing $1 billion over five years to support Canada’s softwood industry, including fighting the spread of the pine beetle in western Canadian forests and helping communities struggling from U.S. softwood duties Retain tax incentives for the mining industry such as the super flow-through share program Streamline regulatory processes related to the mining industry Implement recommendations of the External Advisory Committee on Smart Regulation related to mining Defend Canada’s primary producers against repeated and unfounded international trade challenges Explore the possibility of appointing special envoys between Canada and the United States to chart a course for the future of NAFTA and achieve a resolution of the softwood lumber dispute Reassert Canada’s leadership in negotiating the Free Trade Area of the Americas Create an investment, regulatory, and security environment for our western ports to grow Explore possibility of free-trade negotiations with Canada’s democratic and economic partners in the Asia-Pacific, Japan, and India	In 2005, Layton joined the other two leaders of Canada's three opposition parties to call for federal loan guarantees to help companies suffering from U.S. duties on softwood lumber. Replace undemocratic, corporate-driven trade deals like NAFTA and the WTO with agreements based on the principles of fair and equitable trade Eliminate the investor-state dispute mechanism in NAFTA, or Chapter 11 Refuse to sign any agreement that contains investor state mechanisms Work with countries world-wide to negotiate a fair trade agreement that respects existing environmental, social and labour treaties Ensure NAFTA does not supersede existing environmental, cultural or labour treaties Establish a level playing field within North America to attract and retain auto plants Prepare to respond to punitive tariffs on Canadian forest exports with retaliatory trade measures on energy exports and ensure no agreement is signed that imposes US-style forest policies on Canada Work with forest communities, workers and businesses to develop wood product industries to create jobs and reduce Canada’s reliance on exporting raw logs Try to create a level playing field for Canadian steel by making retroactive dumping duties the norm, not the exception Increase funding for Canadian farm families until a level playing field can be re-established internationally Challenge U.S. subsidies to the auto, agriculture and softwood lumber industries	Ottawa should allow the Quebec government to be an equal partner in international forums where its interests are at stake Demand the lifting of softwood lumber duties imposed by the U.S. and develop a program of loan guarantees for those affected by the softwood dispute Creation of a Free Trade Zone of the Americas with mechanism in place to ensure wealth redistribution and upkeep the common good over special interests With the inception of this FTZA, create an Americas Social Fund (supported by the Mexican government) to help compensate industries or regions that have difficulties in adapting to new trade rules Modify Chapter 11 of NAFTA so government can legislate for the common good Ensure that NAFTA commercial tribunals are open to the public scrutiny and are transparent All Free Trade Accords should be approved by the House of Commons before ratification Women's interests must be taken into consideration in all world trade negotiations Have an integrated plan for the fisheries Abolish fiscal accords between Canada and Tax Free Havens Consider a common currency for North, Central and South America and set up a currency institute for the Americas to help prepare countries adopt and adjust to this currency Canada should take a stance and condemn some of the inequitable policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund	Renegotiate multilateral trade agreements to include "fair trade" tariffs that protect human rights and our ecosystems Propose reform of the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, having them placed under the authority of the UN general assembly Shift direction of international trade away from "free trade" to "fair trade" focusing on the global protection of human rights, labour standards, cultural diversity, and ecosystems

The Liberals established a new Secretariat based in Washington to coordinate and facilitate better cooperation

It opened seven new consulates in the United States

Martin’s Liberals will invest more than $500 million over the next five years to implement Can-Trade, to expand trade relations in other countries

The Martin government announced in October 2005 the Pacific Gateway strategy

The strategy will see $590 million spent to support investment in transportation infrastructure at strategy gateways and trade corridors

The Liberals will continue to push the U.S. to respect the rules of NAFTA and its dispute resolution system

The Liberals established a new Secretariat based in Washington to coordinate and facilitate better cooperation

It opened seven new consulates in the United States

Martin’s Liberals will invest more than $500 million over the next five years to implement Can-Trade, to expand trade relations in other countries

The Martin government announced in October 2005 the Pacific Gateway strategy

The strategy will see $590 million spent to support investment in transportation infrastructure at strategy gateways and trade corridors

The Liberals will continue to push the U.S. to respect the rules of NAFTA and its dispute resolution system

The Liberals will support export market promotion of Canada’s agri-food products through the new CAN-Trade international strategy

They will invest in food safety and food quality initiatives to ensure a safe food supply for Canadians and to assist the export marketing of our products

The Liberals vow to renew the Municipal Rural and other infrastructure funds

They also aim to provide new funding for access to broadband services

They will work with agricultural stakeholders and the provinces to continue to improve the farm income support system and specifically to address improved methods of assistance in times of income disasters

The Liberals also promise to explore ways to help producers earn a greater share of the total value of agri-food products

They aim to continue funding conservation and greencover incentives, after the current program expires in 2007–08

They vow to promote export opportunities for wood products into growing markets such as China

The Liberals will also provide loan insurance to enhance the creditworthiness of firms affected by the softwood lumber dispute

The party supports economic diversification in communities affected by recent job losses

The Liberals also aim to improve market access and address ongoing trade disputes and barriers

The party promises support for the 300 Community Futures Development Corporations which provide, among other services, loans to small local businesses in rural and small communities

The Liberal government will invest almost $500 million over the next five years to implement CAN-Trade, a network of programs and services

The Liberals will also invest in a $250 million Global Success Fund to assist smaller companies to link to global supply networks

Liberals vow to expand trade officer representation in key markets, including China, India and Brazil

They also intend to create a corporate social responsibility centre, which will ensure Canadian activities in emerging markets foster social and environmental as well as economic goals

The Liberal trade strategy will also include an initiative for sustainable cities, which links Canadian firms to opportunities for improving the sustainability of major cities in developing nations

Replace the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program with separate farm income stabilization and disaster relief programs that address the cost of production, market revenue, and inventory evaluation

Commit to adding an additional $500 million annually to farm support programs

Speed up delivery of the $755 million in emergency aid the government promised grain and oilseed farmers in November

Ensure that agricultural industries that choose to operate under domestic supply management remain viable

Give western grain farmers the freedom to make their own marketing and transportation decisions

Work with stakeholders in all fields of research and various industry sectors to explore expanding the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax credit

Tories vow to support the phased reduction of all trade-distorting barriers and the rapid elimination of all agriculture export subsidies

Implement a Green Cover Crop Program to protect prairie farmers, and create a compensation fund for those facing the consequences of crop damage cause by severe flooding

Guarantee repayment of illegally imposed softwood lumber tariffs through Export Development Canada

Commit to investing $1 billion over five years to support Canada’s softwood industry, including fighting the spread of the pine beetle in western Canadian forests and helping communities struggling from U.S. softwood duties

Retain tax incentives for the mining industry such as the super flow-through share program

Streamline regulatory processes related to the mining industry

Implement recommendations of the External Advisory Committee on Smart Regulation related to mining

Defend Canada’s primary producers against repeated and unfounded international trade challenges

Explore the possibility of appointing special envoys between Canada and the United States to chart a course for the future of NAFTA and achieve a resolution of the softwood lumber dispute

Reassert Canada’s leadership in negotiating the Free Trade Area of the Americas

Create an investment, regulatory, and security environment for our western ports to grow

Explore possibility of free-trade negotiations with Canada’s democratic and economic partners in the Asia-Pacific, Japan, and India

In 2005, Layton joined the other two leaders of Canada's three opposition parties to call for federal loan guarantees to help companies suffering from U.S. duties on softwood lumber.

Replace undemocratic, corporate-driven trade deals like NAFTA and the WTO with agreements based on the principles of fair and equitable trade

Eliminate the investor-state dispute mechanism in NAFTA, or Chapter 11

Refuse to sign any agreement that contains investor state mechanisms

Work with countries world-wide to negotiate a fair trade agreement that respects existing environmental, social and labour treaties

Ensure NAFTA does not supersede existing environmental, cultural or labour treaties

Establish a level playing field within North America to attract and retain auto plants

Prepare to respond to punitive tariffs on Canadian forest exports with retaliatory trade measures on energy exports and ensure no agreement is signed that imposes US-style forest policies on Canada

Work with forest communities, workers and businesses to develop wood product industries to create jobs and reduce Canada’s reliance on exporting raw logs

Try to create a level playing field for Canadian steel by making retroactive dumping duties the norm, not the exception

Increase funding for Canadian farm families until a level playing field can be re-established internationally

Challenge U.S. subsidies to the auto, agriculture and softwood lumber industries

Ottawa should allow the Quebec government to be an equal partner in international forums where its interests are at stake

Demand the lifting of softwood lumber duties imposed by the U.S. and develop a program of loan guarantees for those affected by the softwood dispute

Creation of a Free Trade Zone of the Americas with mechanism in place to ensure wealth redistribution and upkeep the common good over special interests

With the inception of this FTZA, create an Americas Social Fund (supported by the Mexican government) to help compensate industries or regions that have difficulties in adapting to new trade rules

Modify Chapter 11 of NAFTA so government can legislate for the common good

Ensure that NAFTA commercial tribunals are open to the public scrutiny and are transparent

All Free Trade Accords should be approved by the House of Commons before ratification

Women's interests must be taken into consideration in all world trade negotiations

Have an integrated plan for the fisheries

Abolish fiscal accords between Canada and Tax Free Havens

Consider a common currency for North, Central and South America and set up a currency institute for the Americas to help prepare countries adopt and adjust to this currency

Canada should take a stance and condemn some of the inequitable policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund

Renegotiate multilateral trade agreements to include "fair trade" tariffs that protect human rights and our ecosystems

Propose reform of the WTO, the IMF and the World Bank, having them placed under the authority of the UN general assembly

Shift direction of international trade away from "free trade" to "fair trade" focusing on the global protection of human rights, labour standards, cultural diversity, and ecosystems