Federal Elections 2006 Scorecard - Where the Parties Stand

This is a follow-up to the post Federal Party Responses to Election Questionnaire on Info Issues from 2 days ago.

The parties running in next Monday's federal elections have been answering questionnaires from a myriad of organizations concerned with issues ranging from A to Z. So, go ahead, pick your issue and compare.

Before you start, you might want to check out the next resource first.

Canada Votes 2006 - Reality Check (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation): "The assumption behind Reality Check is that what you are hearing from the campaign trail may not always conform with reality. Our purpose is to help you make an informed choice on Jan. 23 by separating what is 'real' from what is campaign hyperbole". Reality Check scrutinizes party stands on gun control, taxes, childcare, military spending, crime and a host of other issues. Look at it as the CBC's b.s. detector.

Here are the scorecards:

• Analysis of Environmental Platforms of the Federal Parties (Sierra Club of Canada): "The five political parties reviewed for this analysis are the Liberal, Conservative, Bloc Quebecois, New Democratic and Green Parties. The scoring is based both on the published platforms and the responses to a Sierra Club of Canada questionnaire sent to all parties in early December, 2005". Questions touched upon toxic chemicals management, pesticide reduction, toxic site remediation, standards for clean water, renewable energy, commitment to Kyoto Protocol targets, ending subsidies to fossil and nuclear fuels, a commitment to ecological tax reform, support for mass transit infrastructure, stricter energy efficiency regulations, commitment to complete the national parks system, etc.
• Report Card on the 2006 Government Accountability Election Platforms of the Federal Political Parties (Democracy Watch): "The Report Card grades the five main parties' platform pledges based upon 16 sets of changes Democracy Watch believes are the changes that will most effectively require everyone in the federal government to act honestly, ethically, openly, efficiently, representatively and, if they don't act in these democratic ways, easily and thoroughly held accountable... The 16 sets of changes, divided into five areas, all reflect the following five key elements... : 1. strong laws with no loopholes; 2. requirement to disclose details of operations and violations; 3. fully independent, fully empowered watchdog agencies to enforce laws; 4. penalties that are high enough to encourage compliance; and 5. empowerment of citizens to hold governments and watchdog agencies accountable."
• Political Platform Analysis (Coalition for Women's Equality): "Perhaps not surprisingly, the matter of women’s equality rights has not been a major point of contention during this federal election. All the major parties have been completely silent on women’s issues – is it because they believe that in 2006, women’s equality has been achieved?The Coalition for Women’s Equality believes the battle is far from won. As the platforms of the major political parties are released, we must work to keep women’s equality issues front and centre throughout the campaign and afterwards. If we don’t push for a place for women’s equality on the agenda, who will? We look at each of the major party platforms and ask, what’s in it for women?"
• Working people want to make a better choice on January 23rd (Canadian Labour Congress): "Our researchers have gone through the various party platforms, now that all of them have been released, to see where they stand." The issues covered include healthcare, pension protection, higher education, child care, trade deals, anti-scab legislation and training.
• Scorecard of Federal Political Parties’ Productivity & Prosperity Enhancing Policies (Canadian Chamber of Commerce): "The Canadian Chamber outlined its six key priorities including: fiscal policy, Canada-US/international trade, skilled and qualified workforce, innovation, energy and environment and health care reform. It then compared the four major political parties’ platforms to these priorities... The Canadian Chamber is calling on all parties to zero in on ways to improve Canada’s competitiveness, increase our international trade, strengthen our economic relationship with the United States, and attract more investment and skilled labour to Canada. Action in these areas is essential to increase productivity which, in turn, is the key to ensuring prosperity for Canadians."
• Ranking the parties on pensions and SRI (Social Investment Organization): "The Social Investment Organization has issued its ranking of the federal parties on the important issue of transparency and accountability in the investment and voting policies of Canada's national pension plans. The investment and voting practices of mutual funds and pension funds are attracting growing attention worldwide because of the corporate scandals of the last few years. Investors are also demanding information on the social and environmental policies of their investments. Mutual funds in Canada are coming under increased scrutiny from provincial securities commissions; yet there are no provincial or federal regulations requiring pension funds to disclose information on these issues." N.B.: SRI stands for "socially responsible investing".
• Vote Arts 2006 (Canadian Arts Coalition): "During the past month, the Coalition asked the leaders of the four major political parties to detail their commitment to support the $5.00 per Canadian increase in arts funding, channelled through the Canada Council. We asked them to respond by January 13th, but in the interests of providing Canadian with up-to-date information, we are posting responses as we receive them."
• Addressing Child and Family Poverty in Canada: Where do the parties stand? (Campaign 2000 - End child poverty in Canada): analyzes where the major parties stand on issues of child poverty eradication, early learning and child care, affordable housing, wages and post-secondary education.
• Parties release platforms and plans for affordable housing (Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association): a summary of the positions of the main parties.
• Political party child care platforms (Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada): Outlines what the main parties are saying about child care, and the CCAAC response to their platforms.
• Early learning and child care in the 2006 federal election (Childcare Resource and Research Unit, University of Toronto): "As Canada moves towards national child care – with 10 provinces signing early learning and child care agreements with the federal government – this election may become a significant milestone in ELCC policy development. For many Canadians, it is hoped that early learning and child care will feature prominently in the election campaign. This Issue File will collect materials about ELCC within the 2006 federal election. It will provide: information about how ELCC is positioned in the political parties' platforms..."
• Federal Election Alert - Review of Party Platforms (Canadian Urban Transit Association): "Canadians should be well informed going to the polls on January 23, and know what the federal parties have to say on support for public transit."
• Where the Parties Stand (Federation of Canadian Municipalities): "With the depth and range of proposals presented, it is clear that the municipal sector has been successful at bringing its issues and concerns to the attention of federal parties. " The main parties were asked for their positions on infrastructure, transit, the sharing of the gas tax, housing, the environment, public safety, political partnerships, immigrant settlement, rural and northern development, and recreation.
• Federal Election Campaign 2006 (Assembly of First Nations): "As the election campaign heads into the final days, the platforms of the parties are being revealed. In addition, all parties have now responded to the specific questions posed by the Assembly of First Nations. By looking both at the responses provided along with the platform information made available by the various parties, we can assess their positions as they relate to First Nation issues."
• Election 2006 - An Advocacy Toolkit (Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Canadian Federation for Sexual Health - formerly the Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada, Action Canada for Population and Development) : summary of party responses to a questionnaire on sex education, reproductive health issues, abortion, maternity care, sexually transmitted diseases, and international development assistance (especially when related to women's health and prevention of HIV/AIDS) .
• Comparison of the Health Policy Platforms of the Four National Political Parties in Ontario (Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario): "RNAO offers a comparison of the platforms of the four national political parties running in Ontario: Liberal, Conservative, New Democratic and Green Parties." The Association raised questions about the shortage of health personnel, privatization, the Supreme Court Chaouilli ruling, accountability for federal health transfers to the provinces, etc.
• 2006 Federal Election Health Platform Comparison (Canadian Healthcare Association): the Association is the federation of provincial and territorial hospital and health organizations across Canada and represents institutions in acute care, home and community care, long term care, public health, mental health, palliative care, addiction services, children, youth and family services, housing services, as well as professional and licensing bodies.
• Vote 2006 - Federal Election (Canadian Teachers Federation): the Federation quizzed the main parties on immigrant and refugee children, vocational and technical skills development, aboriginal youth, children with physical and mental disabilities, Francophone children in a minority context, copyright and the use of the Internet, trade agreements, and Canada's commitment to the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals.
• Parties' Election Platforms (Canadian Council for International Cooperation): "Check out what the political parties have to say about more and better aid, 100 % debt cancellation, trade justice, ending child poverty in Canada, defence and multilateralism."