Free Party Canada
Free Party Canada Parti Libre Canada | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Michel Leclerc |
| Registered | 2016 (provincial) September 30, 2020 (federal) |
| Headquarters | 27A Hochar Avenue Saint-Sauveur, Quebec J0R 1R4[1] |
| Ideology | Direct democracy Vaccine hesitancy |
| Colours | Gold |
| Website | |
| partilibrecanada | |
Free Party Canada (French: Parti Libre Canada) is a minor federal political party in Canada. It is led by Michel Leclerc, advocates for direct democracy and lower taxes, and promotes vaccine hesitancy.
History[edit]
In 2016, the party registered provincially in Quebec as Parti libre Saint-Sauveur ("Free Party Saint-Sauveur") and ran in local elections in Saint-Sauveur, as well as in the 2017 by-election for Gouin.[2][3][4][5] Its eight candidates in the 2018 Quebec general election received a total of 1,618 votes.[6] Registered federally on September 30, 2020,[7] its first federal campaign was for the 2020 Toronto Centre federal by-election.[8]
2021 election[edit]
The party ran 59 candidates in the 2021 Canadian federal election, most of them in Quebec or in Francophone areas of New Brunswick and Ontario,[9] garnering over 47,000 votes.[10] Its platform attracted notice for its opposition to mandated COVID vaccination[11][12][13][14][15][16] and vaccination passports,[17] and some candidates had been active in organising events opposed to the pandemic health measures.[18][19] The party also called for the introduction of a direct democracy and lower taxes.[20][21][22][23] Other candidates raised issues of housing affordability, transport and local accountability to electors.[9][24][25] Party leader Michel Leclerc ran in Laurentides—Labelle, where he had been an independent candidate in the 2019 Canadian federal election.[26] In an interview with a TVA comedian at an anti-vaccination rally, Leclerc claimed that viruses were humans, that vaccinations decreased life expectancy, and (claiming to be trained as an astronaut) denied the Moon landing.[27]
Election results[edit]
Federal[edit]
| Election | Leader | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats won | +/− | Rank | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Michel Leclerc | 59 / 338
|
47,254 | 0.28% | 0 / 338
|
7th | No seats |
Provincial[edit]
| Election | Leader | Candidates | Votes | % | Seats won | +/− | Rank | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Michel Leclerc | 8 / 125
|
1,678 | 0.04% | 0 / 125
|
12th | No seats |
Municipal (Saint-Sauveur)[edit]
| Election | Leader | Candidates | Votes[28] (Mayor) |
% | Seats won | +/− | Rank | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Michel Leclerc | 7 / 7
|
88 | 2.39% | 0 / 7
|
4th | No seats | |
| 2021 | Michel Leclerc | 5 / 7
|
36 | 0.95% | 0 / 7
|
|
4th | No seats |
References[edit]
- ^ "Registered Political Parties and Parties Eligible for Registration". Elections Canada. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ QMI, Agence. "Partielle du 29 mai dans Gouin: 13 candidats en lice". Le Journal de Montréal.
- ^ "Michel Leclerc présente son équipe". November 1, 2017.
- ^ "Course à la mairie de Saint-Sauveur". December 14, 2016.
- ^ "Partis politiques". Élections Québec.
- ^ ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Politique-. "Élections au Québec : nombre record de partis politiques autorisés en 45 ans | Élections Québec 2018". Radio-Canada.ca (in Canadian French). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Canada, Elections (September 20, 2021). "Partis politiques enregistrés et partis politiques admissibles pour enregistrement". www.elections.ca.
- ^ "POLLS OPEN: Toronto voters pick federal candidates in two byelections". torontosun.
- ^ a b "Élections fédérales 2021 - Entrevue avec Louis Bérubé". FM90 Route 17. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Canada, Elections. "Election Night Results - National". enr.elections.ca.
- ^ Brunet-Dupont, Tristan (September 16, 2021). "La vaccination et la démocratie, Bianca Girard du Parti libre du Canada explique la vision de son parti".
- ^ "Chantale Giguère représentera le Parti Libre Canada aux élections fédérales". EnBeauce.com.
- ^ Cantin, Alexandre. "Que propose vraiment le Parti libre Canada?" – via www.journaldequebec.com.
- ^ Chassagne, Boris; local, Initiative de journalisme (September 21, 2021). "Le Parti libre du Canada s'en tire avec 2% des voix".
- ^ "Le Parti libre Canada en campagne". August 31, 2021.
- ^ Dami-Houle, Laurence (September 14, 2021). "Élections fédérales: Monique Leduc représente le Parti Libre Canada".
- ^ Fortin, Claude (September 16, 2021). "Parti libre du Canada : Mélanie Gendron dit non au passeport vaccinal". MonMatane (in French). Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "Chantale Giguère se présente pour le Parti Libre du Canada". September 5, 2021.
- ^ Racine, Jean-François. "Fédérales 2021: vaincu en Beauce, Maxime Bernier parle de la naissance d'un nouveau mouvement" – via www.journaldemontreal.com.
- ^ "Programme". partilibrecanada.org.
- ^ St-Pierre, Jean (August 31, 2021). "Bianca Girard se porte candidate du Parti Libre du Canada dans Manicouagan".
- ^ "Les quatre actions prioritaires de Carole Boisvert au sein Parti Libre Canada". September 17, 2021.
- ^ "Gilles Brodeur: la démocratie directe du Parti libre". September 14, 2021. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "Élections fédérales 2021 : Karine Simard, Parti libre du Canada | POLITIQUE". Monsaintsauveur. September 10, 2021.
- ^ "La pénurie de main-d'oeuvre et de logements au coeur du débat de Madawaska-Restigouche". infoweekend.ca.
- ^ Proteau, Alex (September 14, 2021). "5 candidats nous expliquent pourquoi ils se présentent pour un parti qui ne gagnera (probablement) pas". 24 heures.
- ^ ""L'astronaute" du vox pop de Guy Nantel était candidat aux élections fédérales... et a perdu". TVA Nouvelles.
- ^ "Résultats des élections pour les postes de maire et de conseiller". Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation.