Canada Decides: Will Canadians Remove the Conservatives from Power?

In Depth
18 October 2015

Supporters of Canada’s main federal parties rally outside the site of the first leader’s debate in Toronto, Canada, on August 6, 2015. The federal election is set for October 19, 2015.

Since Prime Minister Stephen Harper came to power in 2006, he has launched an all out assault on Indigenous rights, civil liberties, the environment, immigrants and labor rights. He has has cut personal and corporate taxes, while also cutting funds for health care and other public services. Harper has also passed a controversial anti-terrorism act (Bill C-51), which extends the power of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, put a gag order on scientists doing federally funded research, refused to open a national inquiry into the deaths of almost 1,200 missing indigenous women, and refused to support measures that would facilitate corporate accountability in the extractive industries. Canadians go to the polls Monday: Will they vote for change or more of the same?

Meet the Leaders of Canada’s Political Parties

By Lucho Granados Ceja

After an 11-week campaign, Canadians head to the polls Monday to choose their local representative. The party that wins the most seats will be offered the first opportunity to form the government, with that party’s leader named prime minister. READ MORE

Anyone But the Conservatives: Canada’s Strategic Voting System

By Kimberley Brown

The movement is based on the belief that most Canadians want the Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative government out, and the best way to do that is vote for the most likely party to beat him – either the centrist Liberals or the left-of-center New Democratic Party. READ MORE

Canada Is in a Crisis of Epic Proportions

By Dr. Pamela Palmater

It is clear that irreversible damage will be done to Indigenous peoples, the environment and basic democratic rights and freedoms if Harper is not finally removed from office. READ MORE

Three Things About Canada's Election and Immigration

By Harsha Walia

Ultimately all major political parties have sought the immigrant vote by, in some way, branding themselves as a pro-immigration party. This usually involves platitudes to allow in “record numbers of immigrants” and create a “fairer and more efficient” system. READ MORE

Stephen Harper’s Environmental Record: Death by a Thousand Cuts

By Nigel Kinney

The Harper government’s environmental record is not merely poor, it is historically miserable. The Centre for Global Development ranked Canada last of developed nations on the Environment in its latest ranking. READ MORE

In Canada's Election, Latinos are a 'Force to be Reckoned With'

By Lucho Granados Ceja

teleSUR spoke with a representative of LatinXVote, a group of organizers who set out to mobilize the political power of Latinos in the upcoming Canadian election. READ MORE

Stephen Harper Continues Canada’s Legacy of Genocide and Denial

By Dr. Pamela Palmater

Institutionalized racism in Canada is perpetuating the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women. Canadian officials have tried very hard to ignore the crisis, deny the crisis, and now have shifted blame for the crisis to Indigenous peoples. READ MORE