The Freedom Party of Canada (abbreviated to FpC) was founded on July 20, 2001 by Paul McKeever (then a member of the executive of the Freedom Party of Ontario) and Robert Metz (President and co-founder of Freedom Party of Ontario). It has not registered itself with Elections Canada for election finance purposes and has never run candidates.
The Freedom Party of Canada is the federal counterpart of the Freedom Party of Ontario, which was founded in 1984. The party advocates individual liberty and personal responsibility. It describes its political orientation as being in the tradition of John Locke and Ayn Rand. It is a pro-capitalist party and favours minimal government involvement in economic matters.
The Freedom Party of Canada is associated with Freedom Party International, an organization formed to continue the educational role of The Freedom Party of Ontario ("FpO") when FpO, in 2002, began the process of structuring itself to become an electoral party.
The party released a platform called The Right Direction, also known as the "burgundy book" which calls for a flat tax, less protectionism, more competition, same-sex marriage, and legalized abortion. The party released its 2008 election platform in 2004, expecting 2008 to be the year in which it would first be ready to run candidates.
Freedom Party submitted its application for registration in 2004 but its application was voided by a change in party registration and funding legislation. Freedom Party decided against registration under the new system, which it finds both objectionable and disadvantageous to the development of a party that stands for individual freedom and democracy and did not field candidates in the 2008 federal election.
The party is not related to the Freedom Party of British Columbia.
Famous quotes containing the words freedom, party and/or canada:
“The only conception of freedom I can have is that of the prisoner or the individual in the midst of the State. The only one I know is freedom of thought and action.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)
“Yesterday the Electoral Commission decided not to go behind the papers filed with the Vice-President in the case of Florida.... I read the arguments in the Congressional Record and can’t see how lawyers can differ on the question. But the decision is by a strictly party vote—eight Republicans against seven Democrats! It shows the strength of party ties.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“What makes the United States government, on the whole, more tolerable—I mean for us lucky white men—is the fact that there is so much less of government with us.... But in Canada you are reminded of the government every day. It parades itself before you. It is not content to be the servant, but will be the master; and every day it goes out to the Plains of Abraham or to the Champs de Mars and exhibits itself and toots.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)