During the Federal Election the parties will release policy platforms that may affect the core functions of your club: namely firearms, environment, hunting, fishing and the outdoors. We will update this page as the information is released. Day to day news is posted on the club Facebook page here.
The Federal Election
On October 21st all Canadian citizens can cast a ballot for their local candidate in their riding. You can find out about your eligibility and where / when to vote here.
Your Club and the Federal Election
As a non-profit, PCDHFC may not endorse or advertise on behalf of any particular party. The club may continue to advocate for the issues that are of importance to its members. Please read our larger statement on the election here.
Party Platforms
We endeavour to provide a fair summary of each party’s platforms so that you have information to make your own decision on voting day. Where possible we will link to the news or official sources for these summaries.
A full list of parties is available here from Elections Canada.
In alphabetical order:
The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) – Leader: Andrew Scheer
On Firearms
- no blanket gun bans
- prison time for possession of smuggled gun
- prison time / lifetime ban for straw purchasers
- new penalties for selling to prohibited users
- creation of smuggling task force
- temporary ban for detained mentally ill
- lifetime ban for gangsters
- encouraging firearms manufacturers to improve traceability, require the submission of ballistic data on crime guns, and by ensuring that the RCMP crime lab is appropriately resourced.
- source https://www.conservative.ca/safer-canada/
Hunting / Fishing / Conservation / Outdoors
- Enhance and rebuild wild Atlantic and Pacific salmon stocks by increasing support for community-led conservation and enhancement projects and increasing the price of the Salmon Conservation Stamp for non-residents to benefit the Pacific Salmon Foundation
- Complete new recovery plans for all of Canada’s critical fisheries
- Work with industry to develop a strategy for preventing seafood fraud
- Support the advancement of technology and practices that reduce contact between wild and farmed salmon
- will re-establish the Hunting and Angling Advisory Panel
- Lead a science-based terrestrial and marine conservation assessment to identify the best opportunities for expanding our protected area network, including parks, marine protected areas, national wildlife areas and migratory bird sanctuaries.
- Support the completion of the Canadian Wetland Inventory. This will cost $15 million over three years.
- Work with provinces and municipalities to bring an end to raw sewage dumps into marine or freshwater ecosystems
- Restore funding for the community-led National Wetland Conservation Fund (NWCF)
- Increased resources for waterfowl conservation measures, funded by modest increases for non-resident hunters on the cost of the migratory bird stamp
- Work with coastal provinces, business leaders and industry experts to explore the creation of flexible shipping routes based on latest scientific data, to reduce the impacts of shipping on marine life
- Source: https://arealplan.ca/a-cleaner-and-greener-natural-environment/
The Green Party (Greens) – Leader: Elizabeth May
On Firearms
- The Green Party believes we must achieve a balance between the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of every Canadian to live in safety, without fear of being the victim of gun violence. The Green Party respects the legitimate ownership and use of firearms by hunters and farmers.
- We need to strengthen measures to combat gun smuggling and the possession of banned weapons. We must ensure that law-abiding citizens pursuing legal activities in target shooting or hunting are free from unreasonable fees and the threat of criminalization.
- Canada-wide ban on semi-automatic rifles and all handguns “with the exception of those used for sport and policing.”
- “We support legal hunters and those who need guns in rural areas. But guns in urban areas are not acceptable,” said Green Party Leader Elizabeth.
- Institute “confidential buyback program”
- Cracking down on the smuggling of illegal handguns across the US/Canada border;
- Ensure that gun crime charges are not dropped to facilitate convictions on lesser charges; Review the registry for restricted firearms in consultation with gun clubs, hunter organizations, and First Nations. We will ensure that law-abiding citizens do not have their firearms unreasonably confiscated; and
- Work with target shooting organizations to establish safe and protected locations where target shooting can be practiced.
- Bringing in stricter storage and transportation laws (i.e. for both individuals and retailers); and
- Increasing the requirements needed to obtain a Possession and Acquisition License.
- Source:
Hunting / Fishing / Conservation / Outdoors
- The Green Party recognises the importance of these activities to Canadians and is happy to allow its Members of Parliament to celebrate the traditions of hunting, trapping, and fishing in Canada. We will work with all affected groups to ensure fair, sustainable access to these activities.
- Expand protected ocean areas
- Commit $100 million annually over the next four years to create Indigenous-led protected and conserved areas and fund stewardship of these lands and waters by Indigenous guardians.
- Increase funding to Parks Canada
- ramp up the development and implementation of endangered species recovery plans
- To reduce and mitigate plastic waste from fishing gear that entangles and kills marine animals
The Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) – Leader: Justin Trudeau
On Firearms
- Canada-wide ban on “assault rifles” which includes the AR-15 with buyback program
- Prevent people suspected of posing a danger to themselves or others, including their partners or children, from possessing or acquiring new firearms.
- Require that everyone importing ammunition show proof of a valid firearms licence.
- Strengthen safe-storage laws to make it harder for legal weapons to fall into the hands of criminals.
- Not bring back the long-gun registry.
- Allow municipalities to ban handguns
- Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-gun-control-trudeau-2019-1.5290950
- Source: https://2019.liberal.ca/our-plan/stronger-gun-control/
Hunting / Fishing / Conservation / Outdoors
- Liberal promise to end open-pen salmon farms in B.C.
- pledges to provide new funding to encourage youth and families to camp
- pledges new land and ocean protections
The New Democratic Party (NDP) – Leader: Jagmeet Singh
On Firearms
- Would allow municipalities to ban guns
- Tackle “root causes” of gun violence
- We will work to keep assault weapons and illegal handguns off our streets and to tackle gun smuggling and organized crime.
- Source: https://www.ndp.ca/communities
Hunting / Fishing / Conservation / Outdoors
- New Democrats know that chronic wasting disease poses a serious health risk and would take immediate action to address it by prohibiting movement of live cervids, and would examine further options, such as the phase-out of cervid farming
- would develop and implement a National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Strategy, re-establish the Hunting and Angling Advisory Panel and elevate the status of National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day
- protect 30% of our land, freshwater, and oceans by 2030
- develop a system of urban national parks – and a national approach to tree-planting
- will use all the tools available under the Species at Risk Act and ensure the implementation of recovery strategies to preserve biodiversity
- work to reduce emissions from shipping and fishing, prevent ocean acidification, and preserve ocean biodiversity by expanding marine protected areas.
- will implement a national freshwater strategy and work with the provinces and territories to protect our waterways under international agreements
- partner with farmers and communities to support biodiversity and to monitor and protect pollinator health.
- Source: https://www.ndp.ca/climate-action
The People’s Party of Canada (PPC) – Leader: Maxime Bernier
On Firearms
- Replace Firearms Act
- Lifetime certification after background checks
- Redefine firearms classification based upon feature
- Firearms regulations by parliament only
- Source: Firearms: Respecting Legal Firearms Owners and Targeting Criminals
Hunting / Fishing / Conservation / Outdoors
- Prioritize implementing practical solutions to make Canada’s air, water and soil cleaner, including bringing clean drinking water to remote First Nations communities.
- Source:Global Warming and Environment: Rejecting Alarmism and Focusing on Concrete Improvements