Sol Invictus
12-17-2009, 01:24 PM
http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2009/12/16/libertarian-party-surges-in-canada/
The province of Alberta in Canada has for many years been a Conservative stronghold. In last year’s elections, the governing Progressive Conservatives got 53% of the vote.
But at the end of 2009, the Conservatives are trailing a new party called the Wildrose Alliance. The Alliance includes both libertarian and socially conservative factions, and is led by libertarian Danielle Smith, the former Director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Recent polls in the province put the Alliance on 39%, ahead of the Conservatives and Liberals on 25% and the New Democratic Party on 9%.
The main policies of the Alliance are:
Minimal taxes (raising the basic exemption to $20,000, eliminating health care premiums, reducing corporate taxes, and building the Alberta Heritage Trust Fund with the object of eventually being able to replace personal tax revenue with investment revenue)
Smaller, efficient government (allowing governance and service delivery at the municipal and community level as much as possible, reducing government bureaucracy and unnecessary programs, and reducing government spending to a per capita rate comparable to other Canadian provinces)
Free market economics (recognizing existing signed oil sands agreements, enacting a market-based royalty framework that protects the ability of energy companies to grow the Alberta economy, establishing a maximum royalty rate on a per well basis at no higher than 37%, and recognizing that higher royalties in the conventional sector are inappropriate if gas prices are below $7.50/mcf and oil is below $75/barrel)
Democratic reform (establishing set election dates every four years, allowing for citizen initiatives via referendums, and enacting the right to recall elected officials)
Reclaiming provincial responsibilities from Ottawa
*
The strongest supporters of the Alliance are those over 55 (51% support), people earning $100,000 or more (46%), and people with high school or fewer qualifications (45%). Its support is lower amongst 18-34 year olds (23%), people who earn less than $50,000 (34%) and people with university degrees (30%). This means that it is roughly 1,000 times more popular than its sister party, the Libertarian Party UK.
The province of Alberta in Canada has for many years been a Conservative stronghold. In last year’s elections, the governing Progressive Conservatives got 53% of the vote.
But at the end of 2009, the Conservatives are trailing a new party called the Wildrose Alliance. The Alliance includes both libertarian and socially conservative factions, and is led by libertarian Danielle Smith, the former Director of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
Recent polls in the province put the Alliance on 39%, ahead of the Conservatives and Liberals on 25% and the New Democratic Party on 9%.
The main policies of the Alliance are:
Minimal taxes (raising the basic exemption to $20,000, eliminating health care premiums, reducing corporate taxes, and building the Alberta Heritage Trust Fund with the object of eventually being able to replace personal tax revenue with investment revenue)
Smaller, efficient government (allowing governance and service delivery at the municipal and community level as much as possible, reducing government bureaucracy and unnecessary programs, and reducing government spending to a per capita rate comparable to other Canadian provinces)
Free market economics (recognizing existing signed oil sands agreements, enacting a market-based royalty framework that protects the ability of energy companies to grow the Alberta economy, establishing a maximum royalty rate on a per well basis at no higher than 37%, and recognizing that higher royalties in the conventional sector are inappropriate if gas prices are below $7.50/mcf and oil is below $75/barrel)
Democratic reform (establishing set election dates every four years, allowing for citizen initiatives via referendums, and enacting the right to recall elected officials)
Reclaiming provincial responsibilities from Ottawa
*
The strongest supporters of the Alliance are those over 55 (51% support), people earning $100,000 or more (46%), and people with high school or fewer qualifications (45%). Its support is lower amongst 18-34 year olds (23%), people who earn less than $50,000 (34%) and people with university degrees (30%). This means that it is roughly 1,000 times more popular than its sister party, the Libertarian Party UK.