Coalition Government

Updates

Thu 12/4/2008 3:16 PM
Thousands protest prorogation on Parliament Hill
The Council of Canadians joined with thousands of people today on Parliament Hill for a noon-hour rally to protest the prorogation of Parliament and in support of the call for a coalition government.
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The Council of Canadians supports the call for a coalition government.

We believe that a coalition government is a legitimate and democratic option in this minority Parliament, that it would best reflect the concerns of the majority of Canadians, and that it is best suited to deal with the current economic crisis. We encourage our members and supporters to promote this call for a coalition government in their community.

The Council calls on the three opposition parties to defeat the Harper government in a non-confidence vote as soon as possible and to form a coalition government guided by a set of progressive priorities, including:

1. Agreement to proceed with the renegotiation of NAFTA, including seeking the removal of the Chapter 11 investor-state clause, the energy provisions, and water from the treaty.

2. Implement a Canadian energy strategy, which would address the environmental destruction of the northern Alberta tar sands, reduce eastern Canada's dependence on imported oil, and create the opportunity for Canada to become an international leader in developing new green jobs and publicly-owned renewable energy sources.

3. Implement a national water policy that would prohibit bulk water exports (by removing water from NAFTA), recognize the right to water through the United Nations, and ensure that water remains a public good not a private commodity.

4. Place an immediate moratorium on the establishment of any new for-profit privately-owned health care clinics in Canada.

5. Take immediate steps to introduce proportional representation to address the unbalanced results that come with the current electoral system in Canada.