2
Message of the Leader
Raphael Louis
Prime Minister of Canada for 2020
The National Coalition Party of Canada (NCPC) is the only Party in Canada which main
platform is established on the core and fundamental principles of individual freedom,
social responsibility, equality before the law, civil rights values, human rights standards,
children and youth well-being, gender equality, social justice, economic opportunity for
everyone and the rule of law. My desire, dream, hope and vision to continue to build up
our party so it will become the largest party in Canada and in Parliamentary Government.
To also be open to everyone who reside in Canada; to engage everyone to be active in
society, to stand up for things that are important to them, to talk about them, and to work
to change them for the betterment of our nation.
According to our platform I want to see a Canadian society where a person’s own
choices, hopes, and needs set the direction for national and international development. To
have a Party that stands for and defends individual freedom, and promotes people’s equal
opportunities to make choices based on self determination, without ignoring everyone’s
responsibility for their own life and others, the environment and the role of government.
My ideology combines freedom with civil responsibility, democracy and sustainable
government. The party's core values are education, healthcare, retirement, taxation and
fiscal sustainability, human rights, civil rights and women’s rights. The party also values
multiculturalism and diversity. Our political mission has been shaped by ideas of social
reform and social justice which have all contributed to the current ideology.
The party has several political currents domestically and globally. In international affairs,
the party has viewed the International communities in very positive terms. It is also
supportive of strengthening its membership in the United Nations (UN) and work to build
a more diplomatic Canada that is a more effective and a more prominent actor in world
politics and humanitarian affairs and throughout the international and intergovernmental
communities; such as The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), G8 & G20, African Union (AU), The
Organization of American States (OAS), the League of Arab States, the Commonwealth
of Nations, the Vatican (Holy See) and the World Bank.
I am honored to serve and lead my country toward a new beginning and a better future
for the benefit of everyone’s welfare and wellbeing as future Prime Minister.
3
4
Content
Message of the Leader………………………………………………2
Introduction …………………………………………………………5
About the National Coalition Party of Canada (NCPC) …………… 6
Our Call for Action …………………………………………………7
The true meaning of coalition………………………………………17
5
Introduction
The emergence of a Popular Nationalism Political Movement is taking place in Canada
through the National Coalition Party of Canada (NCPC).
There are two main perspectives on the origins and basis of nationalism. One is the
primordial perspective that describes nationalism as a reflection of the ancient belief
perceived by evolutionary tendency of humans and citizens to organize into distinct
groupings. The other is the modernist perspective that describes nationalism as a recent
political phenomenon that requires the structural conditions of modern society and
sustainable government reform through the democratic political process.
In terms of historical political development; inconsistency between institutional
governmental system, the people civil societies has resulted in a situation of anomie that
nationalists and nationalism seek to resolve, correct, change, and reform for the purpose
of the well-being and greater good of the people within the nation in which they live and
abide.
Our Party is the only Party in Canada which main platform is established on the
principles of individual freedom, social responsibility, equality, social justice, economic
opportunity for everyone, humane principles; people-caring through civil rights and
human rights. The party is strongly and amazingly continues to gain a significant amount
of national and international support as it continues to achieve its political mission.
The Party’s ideology combines freedom with responsibility and democracy. Our basic
and fundamental values are centered on education, fiscal balance, healthcare reform,
employment, tolerance, youth leadership, fairness, gender equality, indigenous
inclusiveness; rewarding and caring, private business, civil and corporate society. The
party also values multiculturalism and diversity. Our political mission has been shaped by
ideas of social reform and social justice which have all contributed to the current
ideology.
The party's Women's agenda also works to strongly bring women together and focuses on
improving gender equality in Canada and around the world. It believes that women and
men must have the same opportunities and rights to come to life, grow up, receive
education, and participate freely in public and global affairs.
6
About the National Coalition Party of Canada (NCPC)
The promotion of the national political model of the National Coalition Party of
Canada (NCPC) is crucial if we want Canadian values to have an impact in a rapidly
changing and transforming Canadian society. It is our duty to adapt the NCPC to the
realities and needs of the 21st century and beyond by setting the right priorities and by
bringing the Party closer to the citizens.
The NCPC calls for gradual progress towards a genuine Canadian Political Union. The
governmental systemic institutional setup must be developed further around the NCPC’s
basic and fundamental principles of good governance. It needs democratically
representative institutions toward a more effective and efficient Canadian government.
The policy making procedure between Parliament and the people has to become more
transparent and the Senate and the House of Common should decide publicly on
legislation affecting the lives of the people of Canada.
The direct election of the Leader of the Party, Raphael Louis as the future Prime Minister
of Canada remains a vital and critical objective of NCPC. This would reduce the
perceived democratic deficit of the government and foster a greater shared identity
among Canadian citizens. The elections of public NCPC officials to the Parliament must
develop into genuine Canadian elections in the sense of having more real Canadian issues
debated because we care about the democratic, voting and constitutional rights of all
Canadians.
We believe solidarity and social, economic and territorial cohesion are important
objectives of Canadian integration. Enlargement is one of the most successful NCPC
policies in promoting freedom, democracy, peace, stability and economic development as
well as human rights and the rule of law across the whole nation. The NCPC aims to form
a truly united Canada through membership and strategic partnership. This concept is
developed more concretely to represent a real political alternative of full membership to
NCPC caucus and conceivable options are organized throughout multilateral alliance
with all industries and sectors covering participation and close cooperation in the field of
national and foreign policy.
7
Our Call for Action
1. Economy - competitiveness and finances
Markets must work as freely as possible and unfair practices and protectionist measures
against free competition and free trade need to be abolished. Canada needs a steady,
coherent, ambitious, growth-oriented and long-term economic and financial perspective.
Labor mobility and job creation are of high importance in this context.
Small and Medium Sized businesses as well as large businesses are the backbone of our
Social Market Economy because their job-creating capacity is the biggest contributor to
the Canadian labor market and the national economy. Economic policies should lead to
stable and sustainable public finances, sound fiscal policy, tax reform, and should consist
of demands on surplus, demands on a balanced budget, reducing public debt to less than
60% of GDP, more free trade, competition and continuous economic reform within
Canada and abroad.
High levels of public and private debt create macroeconomic and financial vulnerabilities
and increase market dependence. Maintaining the confidence of domestic and foreign
investors can be best realized through prudent fiscal policies and economic reforms.
Government should respect their commitments and implement structural reform at
national level to regain the trust of investors and return to sustainability in their public
finances.
2. Justice, Civil Rights the Courts and National Security
Increased irregular migration, illicit arms, drug trade and human trafficking, as well as
international terrorism are challenges of the globalised world. Canada needs to protect its
borders and find a balance between minimizing security threats and maximizing ease and
convenience for travelers. Canada is a nation of freedom, justice, security, safety and
peace, and needs clear structures in support and protection of basis and fundamental
individual civil rights and human rights. Strengthening external border security by
enhancing the military is an urgent necessity. We must also effectively cooperate with
external countries’ border security authorities, especially countries that are identified as a
source or transit route of irregular migration.
Access to the justice and court system, the promotion and protection of human rights
must be made less costly and less complicated, and timelier but without becoming
overloaded. Alternative civil justice systems of resolving disputes such as arbitration or
mediation need to be promoted as they are faster and give less burdensome solutions
without undermining the national public order. The NCPC is in favor of creating a
common framework for police and judicial cooperation which fully respects the principle
of Subsidiarity. An evaluation of all law enforcement and judicial systems and exchanges
of good practices are vital for strengthening this cooperation and responding efficiently
and in a timely manner to national and transnational justice.
8
We believe a judge’s role is to interpret the law, not make law from the bench. Judges in
our provincial and federal court system, from district courts to the Supreme Court, should
demonstrate fidelity to the Canadian Constitution. We trust the judicial system to base
rulings on the law, and nothing else.
We are the party of maximum economic freedom and the prosperity freedom makes
possible. Prosperity is the product of self-discipline, work, savings, and investment by
individual Canadian, but it is not an end in itself. Prosperity provides the means by which
individuals and families can maintain their independence from government, raise their
children by their own values, practice their faith, and build communities of self-reliant
neighbors. It is also the means by which the Canada is able to assert global leadership.
The vigor of our economy makes possible our military strength and is critical to our
national security.
3. Immigration and integration
Mobility within Canada and immigration from outside of Canada are realities that have
enriched our nation for decades. The Canadian economy is interested in attracting highly
qualified employees from all over the world, but immigration should not be promoted as
the sole answer to demographic challenges. It will always be necessary to provide asylum
for people who are persecuted. Immigrants and refugees must be treated on the basis of
respect for human rights.
It is imperative to address the results of illegal immigration and lack of integration,
particularly with the emergence of parallel societies of immigrants in which the core
values enshrined in our constitutions are disregarded, such as individual freedoms and the
equality of men and women before the law. Human rights, freedom and tolerance must be
respected within any cultural or religious community in Canada.
To empower all individual immigrants to enjoy their full rights, they should learn or be in
command of the languages of the receiving countries, as well as the history and
characteristics of their new environment, abide by the law and respect its cultural heritage
and underlying values, and participate in their civic rights and duties. The NCPC will
fight against all kind of discrimination against immigrants.
4. Energy
We believe in energy independence. We support an “all of the above” approach that
encourages the responsible production of nuclear power, clean coal, solar, wind,
geothermal, hydropower, as well as drilling for oil and natural gas in an environmentally
responsible way. We oppose so-called cap and trade legislation that would impose a
national energy tax on families and small business that would kill jobs and raise utility
prices.
It is essential that Canada reconstruct its security strategy in order to integrate energy
policy in its foreign policy approach to third countries with the aim of building a strategic
9
external policy with key partner countries. It has to enhance and develop an approach to
climate and energy policy that will increase the nation’s energy security, including access
to natural resources and raw materials.
We need to increase Canada’s efforts to reduce the risks of energy dependency, climate
change, piracy and the uncontrolled trade of conventional weapons. The completion of a
Trans National Energy Network and development of new sources and routes should be a
priority for Canada’s energy security. To this end, we are committed to efficiently
managing our natural resources and transforming Canada into a highly energy-efficient
nation.
5. Agriculture
Canada is well known around the world for its high quality agricultural products which
are the basis of our gastronomic heritage, and this quality needs to be maintained. Strict
standards are required to be set for production of safe and healthy food and to promote
organic products even further. Agricultural Policy will have to be further reformed to
foster a sustainable model of farming, taking into account food scarcities as a
consequence of population growth and climate change as well as the economic role of the
countryside. This reform should take into account the new and sharply increasing global
need for agricultural products, a substantial change in nutritional patterns and the use of
bio-fuels.
At the same time, we have to take into account the decreasing capacity of agricultural
production in some areas outside of Canada because of climate change and the scarcity of
water, and therefore the continuous development and adaptation of Canada’s agricultural
capacities should be facilitated.
6. Environment
A Social Market Economy has to be based on the principle of environmental
sustainability; that implies an ever greater attention to renewable energy sources, phasing
out unsustainable energy production, energy efficiency, the preservation of biodiversity
and the conservation and regeneration of natural resources such as water, air and land. It
also means that economic growth should support those factors which increase the
citizens’ quality of life.
Canada possesses significant negotiating experience and power when speaking with one
voice and technological know-how, and it should continue its leading role in combating
climate change and global warming, as well as in coping with their effects. Increasing
natural disasters around the world, as well as the rise in gas and oil prices, show the need
for a rapid and courageous move toward the most modern and efficient technologies.
The transport sector also needs a rapid decrease in the use of fossil fuels and a major cut
in the production of greenhouse gases. Concrete and farsighted steps towards renewable
and low carbon energy sources will be able to avoid the adverse effects of climate change
10
and at the same time reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. We should
constantly adapt our patterns of production and consumption and shape our international
and diplomatic agenda accordingly.
7. Family and society
NCPC affirms the inalienable dignity of every human being from the beginning and in
every phase of its existence. We regard every man, woman, children and youth as unique
human beings who are irreplaceable, totally irreducible, and free by nature and open to
transcendence because people are free, responsible and interdependent, and taking part in
the construction and improvement of society and their communities.
We are in favor of the Social Market Economy because economic development, based on
everyone’s contributions, cannot foster wellbeing and peace unless its fruits are shared
with the aim of improving the living conditions of each person. It is important to
safeguard competition between market forces as well as to promote solidarity and social
justice. Subsidiarity expresses itself not only vertically in the political system but also
horizontally in society, based on the premise that society can be constructed in freedom.
The NCPC encourages a vibrant civil society through the activities of NGOs and the
creation of associations. The NCPC should foster direct relations with associations of
producers, consumers, trade unions, economic chambers and other socio-economic and
societal actors.
Family is irreplaceable as the core institution where love, charity, sympathy and human
solidarity are cherished and instilled, thereby uniting different generations. It is the place
where parents and children take responsibility and practice solidarity for each other.
Strong families are also a precondition for better demographic development. We
emphasize the need to recognize the work of parents as educators within the framework
of social policies. We also believe that fiscal policies should support families and
solidarity between generations.
The NCPC refuses to consider abortion as a method for family planning. We promote
supportive programs and initiatives to help parents and families to welcome every child,
in particular when difficulties or unforeseen pregnancies occur. No social pressure should
be exerted on parents who decide to accept a child with a handicap. Human life should be
protected from its beginning until its natural end. Artificial creation and the selection of
human embryos for reasons of research or commercialization should be forbidden across
Canada.
8. A Competitive World Class Education
We believe that maintaining a world-class system of primary, secondary, post-secondary
and higher education with high standards in which all students can reach their potential is
critically and vitally important to Canada’s socio-economic future. We believe parents
should be empowered to send their children to the school of their choice.
11
Our country’s system of higher education, public and private, secular and religious, large
and small institutions is unique for its excellence, its diversity, and its accessibility.
Learning is a safeguard of liberty. Post-secondary education not only increases the
earnings of individuals but advances economic development. We must ensure that our
higher education system meet the needs of the 21st century student and economy and
remain innovative and accessible.
The NCPC Leaders’ vision for expanding free access to post secondary and higher
education shall lead to two major advances, a through review and implementation of the
Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and the Canada Student Loan Program. To this
end we plan to establish a Prime Ministerial and Parliamentary Commission to undertake
that task and to review the role of government regulations and policies in the tuition and
educational spiral. We affirm our support for the public-private partnership that can offer
students and their families a vibrant marketplace within the sphere of our educational
system.
9. Job Creation and Growth: Getting Canadians Back to Work
The best jobs program is economic growth. We do not offer yet another made-in-Ottawa
package of subsidies and spending to create temporary or artificial jobs. We want much
more than that. We want a roaring job market to match a roaring economy. Instead, what
previous parties and governments have given Canadians is years of unemployment above
normal. NCPC will pursue free market policies that are the surest way to boost
employment and create job growth and economic prosperity for all.
In all the sections that follow, as well as elsewhere in this platform, we explain what must
be done to achieve that goal. The tax system must be simplified. Government spending
and regulation must be reined in. Canadian companies must be more competitive in the
domestic and world market, and we must be aggressive in promoting Canadian products
domestically and abroad and securing open markets for them. A federal-provincialprivate
partnership must invest in the nation’s infrastructure such as roads, bridges,
airports, ports, and water systems, among others. Federal Work training programs have to
be overhauled and made relevant for the workplace of the twenty-first century.
10. Businesses and Entrepreneurship
Canadian businesses are the backbone our economy, employing millions of workers.
Businesses create the vast majority of jobs. Businesses are the leaders in the world’s
advances in technology and innovation, and we pledge to strengthen that role and foster
small, medium and large business entrepreneurship. While businesses have significantly
contributed to the nation’s economic growth, our past governments has failed to meet its
small business goals year after year and failed to overcome burdensome regulatory,
contracting, and capital barriers which in turn impedes their growth.
We will reform the tax code to allow businesses to generate enough capital to grow and
create jobs for our families, friends and neighbors all across Canada. We will encourage
investments in small businesses. We will create an environment where adequate
12
financing and credit are available to spur manufacturing and expansion. We will serve as
aggressive advocates for businesses overall.
11. Tax Relief to Grow the Economy and Create Jobs
Taxes, by their very nature, reduce a citizen’s freedom. Their proper role in a free society
should be to fund services that are essential and authorized by the Constitution, such as
national security, and the care of those who cannot care for themselves. We reject the use
of taxation to redistribute income, fund unnecessary or ineffective programs, or foster the
crony capitalism that corrupts politicians and government representatives.
Our goal is a tax system that is simple, transparent, flatter and fair. In contrast, the current
tax code is like a patchwork quilt, stitched together over time from mismatched pieces,
and is beyond the comprehension of the average citizen. A reformed code should promote
simplicity and coherence, savings and innovation, increase Canadian competitiveness,
and recognize the burdens on families with children.
12. Securing Adequate Housing and Eradicating Homelessness
The federal government has a role in housing by enforcing non-discriminatory laws and
assisting low-income families and the elderly with safe and adequate shelter, especially
through the use of housing vouchers. Homeownership is an important goal, but public
policy must be balanced to reflect the needs of Canadians who choose to rent. A
comprehensive housing policy should address the demand for apartments and multifamily
housing. Any assistance should be subject to stringent oversight to ensure that
funds are spent wisely.
Homeownership expands personal liberty, builds communities, and helps Canadians
create wealth. The new NCPC “Canadian Dream” is not a stale slogan. It is the lived
reality that expresses the aspirations of all our people. It means a decent place to live, a
safe place to raise kids, a welcoming place to retire. It bespeaks the quiet pride of those
who work hard to shelter their family and, in the process, create caring neighborhoods.
Homeownership is best fostered by a growing economy with low interest rates, as well as
prudent regulation, financial education, and targeted assistance to responsible borrowers.
A solution to homelessness in Canada requires a shift in focus, from crisis management
to permanent solutions. We are working to ensure that individuals and families
experiencing crises have access to permanent, appropriate, safe and affordable housing
with the support necessary to sustain it. All of this must come together in a coordinated,
planned, cohesive strategy that is supported and implemented by all representatives of the
community and all levels governments.
13. International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment
International trade and foreign direct investment is crucial for our economy. It means
more Canadian jobs, higher wages, and a better standard of living. Every $1 billion in
additional Canadian exports means another 5,000 or 10,000 jobs here at home. Thus,
NCPC Leader and Prime Minister will insist on full parity in trade with other nations and
stand ready to combat commercial disparities. Victimized private firms will be
13
encouraged to raise claims in both Canadian courts and at the World Trade Organization.
Judicial measures will be imposed on foreign firms that misappropriate Canadian
technology and intellectual property.
Because Canadian workers have shown that, on a truly level playing field, they can
surpass the competition in international trade, we call for the restoration of Trade
Promotion Authority. It will ensure up or down votes in Parliament on any new trade
agreements, without meddling by special interests. A NCPC Prime Minister will
complete negotiations for a Trans-Pacific and Trans-Continental Partnership to open
rapidly developing Asian markets to Canadian products. Beyond that, we envision a
worldwide multilateral agreement among nations committed to the principles of open
markets, in which free trade will truly be fair trade open for all.
14. A Twenty-First Century Workforce, Safer and More Secure Retirement
The greatest asset of the Canadian economy is the hard-working Canadians. The high
rates of unemployment over the past years disastrously high among youth, minorities, and
veterans have thus been a tragic waste of energy, human resources and ideas,
compounded by the waste of billions in stimulus funds with no payoff in jobs. Nothing
matters more than getting the Canadian people back to work. In addition to cutting
spending, keeping sound tax policy, we must replace outdated policies and ineffectual
training programs with a plan to develop a twenty-first century workforce to make the
most of our country’s human capital.
The NCPC will take aggressive action to close the retirement gap in Canada. We shall
commission Clear Path Analysis to carry out qualitative research to create new retirement
policies and reform existing programs into the future of our pension system aiming to
achieve a more balanced retirement plan by strengthening funded pensions. People’s
retirement savings are a convenient source of revenue for governments and we don’t
want to reduce spending or make privatizations.
Although local, provincial and federal governments are largely responsible for our
pension systems, they are increasingly a matter of common concern. In line with the
NCPC’s jobs and growth strategy, we will continue to closely monitor and support
pension reforms. We will also bring added value with legislation, funding and policy
coordination to help older workers stay in the labor market, and country-specific
recommendations to guide government retirement programs.
15. Action for People with Disability
We are committed and dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights
of people with disabilities in Canada. We believe that individuals with disabilities should
live with dignity and participate fully in our communities. We pledge to work with all
sectors and the disability communities on law reform and policy initiatives and
community development.
14
We support the creation of a multidisciplinary committee forum of disability experts and
several organizations both governmental and non-governmental in order to facilitate the
mainstreaming of disability issues in all relevant policy areas. This work is particularly
appropriate in the light of the challenges faced by contemporary society in its efforts to
promote inclusion and participation for all. Efforts must be made to create an
environment where people with disabilities are encouraged and are able to participate in
politics at local, regional, national and international levels.
Despite the progress made in recent years in numerous areas, many people with
disabilities in Canada today are still faced with barriers to equal opportunities and full
participation in the life of the community, such as low levels of education and vocational
training; high unemployment rates; low income; obstacles in the built environment; social
exclusion; intolerance, clichés and stereotypes; direct or indirect discrimination; violence,
ill-treatment and abuse.
16. Health Care Reform: Putting Patients First through Integrative Medicine
Health care spending in Canada reached $160 billion, or 10.6% of GDP, in 2007 and
$171.9 billion in 2008, or $5,170 per person. There is considerable variation across the
provinces/territories as to the extent to which such costs as outpatient prescription drugs,
physical therapy, long-term care, home care, dental care and even ambulance services are
covered.
We support common-sense public health care reforms that will lower costs, ensure
quality health care; an all inclusive Health Care based on Prevention and Integrative
Medicine and less dependency on crisis medicine, medications and surgery. This will
reduce our health care costs and make us the leading nation in preventive medicine. This
is the medicine of the future where we can reward people to become healthier and follow
proper balanced life style, exercise and taking full responsibility for healthy living.
This is a timely event since most Canadians do favor the focus on prevention instead of
intervention and which will result in a more cost effective health care system by
encouraging all health care professionals including medical doctors, integrative doctors,
natural doctors, nurses, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists, dietitians and other
allied professionals to get paid only when their client becomes healthy and not to push
medications on them for life.
By 2020 we will have a demographic shift that will require the focus on preventing
diabetes, hypertension and obesity to avoid bankrupting our current health care system
that will fail to cope with the ageing of the population.
17. Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic Relations and Human Rights
The NCPC is involved in shaping the rules and norms of the new international system. A
globalised world requires global governance, and strengthening international
organizations is imperative, in particular with regard to the United Nations (UN), IMF
and WTO. Flexible institutions such as the G20 will grow in importance, highlighting the
increased weight of emerging economies in Asia, Caribbean, the Arab Nations, the
Americas and Africa. Strengthening the Common Foreign and Security Policy as well as
15
the Security and Defense Policy will be crucial for the further development of Canada.
The NCPC has to remain vigilant and strengthen its efforts in the non-proliferation of
weapons of mass-destruction, terrorism, and organized crime as well as regional
conflicts.
The NCPC also has a strong interest in and responsibility for its closest geographical
neighbors. The NCPC must reinforce its instruments such as diplomatic dialogue, trade,
development assistance and support for civil society to support the transition to
democracy and Social Market Economy in order to broaden the area of stability and
security around it.
NCPC also leads the international effort to promote and protect human rights for all,
engage in global human rights efforts and speaks out objectively in the face of human
rights violations worldwide. We provide a forum for identifying, highlighting and
developing responses to today's human rights challenges, and act as the principal focal
point of human rights research, education, public information, and activities within the
United Nations System.
Since Governments have the primary responsibility to protect human rights, NCPC will
also provides assistance to Governments and civil societies, such as expertise and
technical trainings in the areas of administration of justice, legislative reform, and
electoral process, to help implement international human rights standards on the ground.
We also assist other entities with responsibility to protect human rights to fulfill their
obligations and individuals to realize their rights.
With our leading human rights role and the important task of mainstreaming human
rights into the United Nations system, we are determined to work with Governments,
civil society, national human rights institutions and other United Nations entities and
international organizations, such as the International Labor Organization, the Office of
the High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the International Criminal
Court, specialized criminal tribunals, such as the ones for former Yugoslavia and for
Rwanda, established by the Security Council, and the World Bank in their efforts to
promote and protect human rights.
18. Addressing Corruption: Supporting the Creation of a National Integrity Commission
We need to call on our politicians and public officials to be accountable for their actions.
How can we trust them if we don’t know what they’re doing? We must demand that they
put in place regulations which will force them to act openly. Then corruption can’t hide.
And our trust in the political and electoral processes will improve. When party leaders act
transparently, showing us clearly what they do, we can make informed choices when we
vote. And we can hold them to account once elected.
The NCPC supports the creation of a National Integrity Commission (NIC) which main
objectives are to evaluate government operations, both in terms of their internal
corruption risks and their contribution to fighting corruption in society at large.
16
When all the pillars in a National Integrity System are functioning well, corruption
remains in check. If some or all of the pillars wobble, these weaknesses can allow
corruption to thrive and damage a society. A National Integrity System assessment
examines both the formal framework of each pillar and the actual government
institutional practice. The analysis highlights discrepancies between the formal provisions
and reality on the ground, making it clear where there is room for improvement.
Conclusions are drawn together in a comprehensive national report to build momentum,
political will and civic pressure for relevant reform initiatives. Ultimately, strengthening
the National Integrity System promotes better governance across all aspects of a society
and contributes to a more just society overall.
17
The True Meaning of Coalition
By Stes de Necker
International Diplomatic Ambassador for Africa
Political parties have been defined in various ways. But the myriad definitions reflect
more the various perspectives and areas of emphasis of the voter’s historic and cultural
background, than a fundamental difference in meaning. Consensus however exists on two
key definitional issues:
1. That political parties are formally organized and that they aim at capturing or
gaining control of the government.
2. The party that wins the most constituencies (constitutional system), or the most
votes (proportional representation parliamentary system) forms the government.
Whether or not they win control of the government, political parties always
participate in the legislative authority. A political alliance, or political bloc, is an
agreement of cooperation between different political parties on common political agenda,
often for purposes of contesting an election, to mutually benefit by collectively clearing
election thresholds or otherwise benefiting from characteristics of the voting system, or
for government formation before an election.
Coalitions on the other hand are formed after an election with a view to agree on the
pursuance of common goals; pool their resources in order to achieve this goal;
communicate and form binding commitments concerning their goal(s); and agree on the
distribution of payoffs to be received after the coalition has met its objectives. There is
therefore a major difference between a coalition and an alliance. Within a coalition, each
party retains their party specific principles and identities, whereas in an alliance, party
identity and ideology are usually sacrificed on the altar of political opportunism.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines coalition as: “The union of different political parties
or groups for a particular purpose.” The classic purpose of a parliamentary coalition will
be to:(1) agree to pursue common goals; (2) pool their resources in order to achieve this
goal; (3) communicate and form binding commitments concerning their goal(s); and (4)
agree on the distribution of payoffs to be received after the coalition meets its objectives.
Coalition government (known in the United States as a ‘fusion administration’) can
therefore be defined as ‘a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several
political parties cooperate, reducing the dominance of any one party over another within
that coalition ’. Multiple parties reflect a greater spectrum of the voting population, so in
theory such a larger portion of the population benefits from the coalition union. Issues
that would be dismissed by a single party government have greater weight when other
parties become part of the mix. Undemocratic or controversial legislation has accordingly
considerably less chance of being passed. Responsible and well designed coalitions
within socially heterogeneous democracies (multi party democracies), can in fact be a
more effective form of democratic government than in a homogeneous democracy, where
only one or two political parties exist.
18