Green Party of Canada - Principles and Policies

Principles and Policies


Green politics
Core topics Green politics
Green party
Outline of green politics
Four Pillars Ecological wisdom
Grassroots democracy
Nonviolence
Social justice
Schools Bright green environmentalism
Deep ecology
Ecofeminism · Eco-socialism
Green anarchism
Green conservatism
Green left · Green liberalism
Green libertarianism
Green municipalism
Green Zionism
Green syndicalism
Social ecology
Organizations in Africa
in the Americas
Asia-Pacific Green Network
European Green Party
Young European Greens
Global Greens
Global Young Greens
Related topics Animal rights
Conservation movement
Eco-capitalism
Ecocentrism
Ecological modernization
Ecology movement
Environmental issues
Environmental justice
Environmental movement
Environmentalism

The Greens have always had leftist and centrist factions that have been ascendant at different times in the party's history. Many Greens also claim that this traditional left-right political spectrum analysis does not accurately capture the pragmatic ecological orientation of an evolving Green Party. The ecumenical approach (expressing affinities with all Canadian political tendencies and making cases to voters on all parts of the left-right spectrum) has been advocated by those who believe their success can also be measured by the degree to which other parties adopt Green Party policies. By this measure of success, the adoption of a revenue-neutral Carbon tax at the British Columbia government level, greenhouse gas emission reduction programs, and the promotion of the Green (Tax) Shift by the federal Liberal Party under former leader Stéphane Dion, indicate that Green Party policies are gaining traction in Canada.

An emphasis on a green tax shift in the 2004 platform, which favoured partially reducing income and corporate taxes (while increasing taxes on polluters and energy consumers), created questions as to whether the Green Party was still on the left of the political spectrum, or was taking a more eco-capitalist approach by reducing progressive taxation in favour of regressive taxation. Green Party policy writers have challenged this interpretation by claiming that any unintended "regressive" tax consequences from the application of a Green Tax Shift would be intentionally offset by changes in individual tax rates and categories as well as an 'eco-tax" refund for those who pay no tax.

Under Elizabeth May's leadership, the Green Party has begun to receive more mainstream media attention on other party policy not directly related to the environment — for example, supporting labour rights and poppy legalization in Afghanistan.

Read more about this topic:  Green Party Of Canada

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