The Canadian Dissident

Political polarization can pose a big problem to democratic countries, but sometimes the opposite can also become a problem.  Canadian politics is dominated by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. It's not quite a two-party system, but no other party has ever formed government at the federal level.  Under former leader Justin Trudeau, the Liberal Party was center-left or simply centrist, depending on who you ask.  Faced with plummeting polls and the prospect of a Conservative majority government, new Liberal leader  Mark Carney decided to push his party to the right. He started by adopting Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre's signature policy: axing the carbon tax. Carney then copied much of the Conservative Party's platform for the April federal election. He promised to tighten border security, cut immigration, "crack down" on drugs, and increase military spending. Much like Poilievre, Carney also leaned into Canadian nationalist sentiment and promis...

During this year's federal election campaign, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet sparked outrage by suggesting that Canada is “an artificial country with very little meaning.”  Despite the media and political backlash, Blanchet is right. Every country in the world is an artificial, man-made construct. However, Canada is especially artificial.  Canadians are not united by geography, climate, politics, values, religion, or language. This has always been true, since 1867 when Québec, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into one country. The original four provinces had different histories, different ethnicities, and different political aspirations. Canada has always existed as a pragmatic compromise.  The only thing that Canadians from coast to coast to coast have in common is that we are all living on land taken by force from Indigenous nations. The Indigenous nations of the land are diverse and not confined to the arbitrary borders of Canada. Desp...

The dust has settled from the federal election, and unfortunately Canadians voted for more of the same. More inflation, more deficits, more debt, more unaffordable housing, more centralized government. Canada needs significant change to empower communities, small businesses, and low-income families. Our current economic system rewards capital more than work. Our current government enriches politicians, bureaucrats, government contractors, and multinational corporations at the expense of everyone else.  Canada is also running the risk of devolving into a two-party system.  85% of the vote went to the Liberal and Conservative parties. A two-party system will not serve working class Canadians and will not enact meaningful change.  With the rising cost of living, many Canadians are being left behind. Low-income workers should be the government's top priority. Too many Canadians work full-time but still struggle to pay the bills. Here are 6 policies that would make life signif...

All the major parties, with the exception of the Bloc Québécois, are now promising to cut federal income taxes for low-income Canadians, by varying amounts. The Liberals have proposed a very small cut for the lowest income tax bracket, while the Greens want to eliminate income tax for Canadians earning up to $40,000 a year. You can compare all the party positions here:  Conservative Party: Reduce the tax rate on the lowest income bracket (up to $57,375) from 15% to 12.75%.  Source: party website   Liberal Party: Reduce the tax rate on the lowest income bracket (up to $57,375) from 15% to 14%. Source: Financial Post NDP: Raise the basic personal amount (tax-free income) to $19,500.  Source: party website   Green Party: Raise the basic personal amount (tax-free income) to $40,000.  Source: party website People's Party: “Cut personal income taxes… after the deficit has been eliminated, over the course of several budgets, as the fiscal room is found to allow it...