Political parties answer to TDF ahead of election

Last week, TDF called on federal parties to clarify their positions on free speech, media funding, pandemic response, and digital currency. This week, we have some answers.

As part of our mandate to defend civil liberties and uphold democratic principles, The Democracy Fund contacted all registered federal political parties ahead of the upcoming election, and we're starting to get a few answers.

*The following parties had not responded at the time of publishing and will be added if/when we receive their response: Liberal Party, Conservative Party, Bloc Québécois, and NDP.

The five questions submitted are as follows:

1. Although the "Online Harms Act" (Bill C-63) did not become law, it is possible that a similar bill regulating online speech may be reintroduced during the next Parliament. Will your party commit to upholding the right to free speech in Canada by refusing to introduce or support similar legislation censoring Canadians?

Christian Heritage Party of Canada:
C-63 would subject every Canadian to the most egregious, invasive and unjust restrictions on what has been considered (until now) our God-given and Charter-protected freedom of speech. We would definitely oppose any reintroduction of this bill.

Green Party of Canada:
We will protect free speech while addressing online hate and misinformation. We will not support blanket censorship. Instead, we focus on platform accountability, stronger digital rights, and
safeguards for vulnerable groups.

Our policies include:
● Appointing a special rapporteur on online hate and extremism.
● Protecting against surveillance and algorithmic bias.
● Expanding digital literacy programs.
● Requiring platforms to be transparent and responsible for harmful content.
We will always balance safety with the right to express oneself freely online.

People's Party of Canada:
Yes. The PPC has consistently stood against censorship and government control over speech. Bill C-63 was a dangerous overreach, seeking to criminalize speech through vague definitions and a proposed digital tribunal with excessive powers. We would oppose any future iteration of such legislation. The PPC supports robust, uncensored debate as essential to democracy.

2. The federal government provides subsidies or funds for various Canadian news media outlets. What is your party's position on the continued government funding of Canadian news media outlets?

Christian Heritage Party of Canada:
The Christian Heritage Party, (CHP Canada) has long called for the defunding of the CBC and the end of media bailouts. Besides the horrendous waste of taxpayer dollars, we object to government propaganda being imposed on generations of future voters and taxpayers who are being deliberately deceived and misinformed by overpaid and biased media activists. Cutting media funding would be one key to achieving our goal of balanced budgets and might—as a beneficial side-effect—lead to higher journalistic standards . . . no more passing off shabby opinion pieces as news reporting. 

Green Party of Canada:
We will support continued, and increased, public funding for Canadian-owned media. We will:
● Increase support for local journalism and cultural content.
● Direct all federal advertising to Canadian-owned platforms.
● Prioritize funding for nonprofit, independent, and community media.
● Strengthen CBC/Radio-Canada with stable, multi-year funding and protect it from political interference.
● Limit foreign ownership of Canadian media.
● Review and reduce media concentration to protect diverse, trustworthy voices.
A strong, independent press is essential to democracy, and we’ll protect it.

People's Party of Canada: 
We are opposed. Government subsidies to media outlets have destroyed public trust and created a media landscape dependent on political favouritism. A free press cannot exist if it is beholden to government cheques. The PPC will eliminate all subsidies and bailouts to media organizations and restore true independence.

3. The Online News Act requires online media platforms and search engines to pay qualified Canadian journalism organizations (QCJOs) for the reproduction of news or news links. This allows the government or government agents to reward or punish news organizations through selection as, and payment to, QCJOs. Will your party commit to abolishing the Online News Act?

Christian Heritage Party of Canada:
The media cannot be objective if they are being mothered by the government. Their loyalty lies with the money and other benefits they receive. Canadians, like all people, enjoy talking about the news, the government has interfered by restricting people’s ability to reference what is in the news. 

Green Party of Canada:
We believe a strong and independent media is essential for democracy.
That’s why:
● Tech platforms that profit from news should help fund the journalism they rely on.
● We support the principle behind the Online News Act, even if we haven’t named it directly.
● We support more public funding for Canadian-owned news outlets.
● We’re open to reforming the Act to improve fairness and transparency.
● We want to protect independent media and reduce corporate influence.

People's Party of Canada: 
Absolutely. This legislation, which forces online platforms to pay government-approved media outlets, is both a form of economic coercion and a tool of political control. The PPC opposes this “pay-to-play” model that rewards media compliance with government narratives and punishes dissenting voices.

4. Will your party commit to holding a public inquiry into the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Christian Heritage Party of Canada:
CHP Canada believes the government was way out of line in their response to COVID. Our comments, “Particularly during the COVID pandemic, we saw special rights granted to citizens who accepted government mandated needles while those who refused the COVID needles were vilified as misogynists, racists, terrorists, etc., and had their right to Employment Insurance removed. This is neither equality nor is it democratic to have the government force medical decisions on the population under the threat of reprisals.”

Green Party of Canada:
Canadians deserve clear answers and honest leadership during major public crises. While we haven’t taken a formal position on a COVID-19 public inquiry, we support:
● Strong transparency laws and public access to government decisions.
● Independent oversight of government actions and spending.
● Investment in public health data, emergency preparedness, and long-term planning.

We support a clear, honest review of Canada’s COVID-19 response. That way we can learn from what went wrong and do better next time. Our goal is to build public trust, ensure accountability, and strengthen how we handle future emergencies.

People's Party of Canada: 
Yes—without hesitation. We were the only federal party to oppose lockdowns, mandates, and the violation of Canadians’ civil liberties from day one. We will push for a full and transparent public inquiry into the government's pandemic response, including the politicization of public health, the economic fallout, and the erosion of bodily autonomy. Notably, our candidate Dr. David Speicher—a molecular virologist and epidemiologist—is a subject-matter expert who has been sounding the alarm on COVID mismanagement since the beginning. He continues to advocate for evidence-based policy and accountability in his campaign.

5. Will you commit to opposing the introduction of a central bank digital currency in Canada?

Christian Heritage Party of Canada:
The move to an all digital world, encouraged by the Bank of Canada and its partners all over the world, means you cannot buy anything with privacy. The CHP believes your personal information should remain as your personal property unless you decide to share, sell or trade the information to a third party. We will oppose CBDC in Canada.

Green Party of Canada:
We have not taken a formal position on a central bank digital currency (CBDC), however:
● We support public financial tools that serve people—not profit.
● We emphasize protecting privacy and digital rights in all financial innovations.
● Any proposal for a CBDC must be transparent, protect personal freedoms, and be accountable to the public.

We would assess any CBDC carefully to ensure it strengthens, not weakens, economic fairness and privacy.

People's Party of Canada: 
Yes. A CBDC poses a grave risk to privacy, financial freedom, and economic sovereignty. The PPC opposes the introduction of a digital dollar or any government-controlled financial system that can be used to surveil or control how Canadians spend their money.

This initiative is part of The Democracy Fund’s commitment to ensuring voters have access to clear, direct information from those seeking public office. In doing so, we aim to promote transparency, support civic education, and encourage meaningful public dialogue during the election period.