And Statement of Principles
March 15, 2012
Name of the Party
The full name of this organization will be ‘The Christian Heritage Party of BC’, with ‘CHP of BC’ and Christian Heritage Party of BC” as identifiers, and may be referred to in the Constitution and By-Laws as “The Party”.
Objective of the Christian Heritage Party of British Columbia
The objective of the Christian Heritage Party of BC is to restore and preserve our Great Canadian heritage, granted by our Creator, which is the foundation of our democratic system of government, in order to bring effective and accountable government to British Columbia as outlined in our Mission Statement and our Statement of Principles, and to provide the people of British Columbia with a democratically elected government that is controlled by the citizens of British Columbia.
Purpose of the Christian Heritage Party of BC
The Purpose of the Christian Heritage Party of BC is to operate as a political party in British Columbia, and to support men and women with high moral and ethical standards for election to the BC Legislature so that they can pass laws that serve the needs and are in the best interests of all the citizens of British Columbia.
Mission of the Christian Heritage Party of BC
We, the members of the Christian Heritage Party of BC, stand on the foundation granted by our Creator – individual dignity, personal freedoms, economic enterprises, and limited government which is the basis of our great Canadian heritage. Our heritage holds the strength of the vision from our forefathers; the vision of true democracy which is government by the people, for the good of ALL the people, a government that does not rule the people, but is ruled by the people. By renewing these characteristics of our great Canadian heritage, we will establish a new form of democracy in British Columbia called “Representative Democracy”. It will include a democratically elected government that is controlled by the people and it will serve all the people of British Columbia.
Members of the Christian Heritage Party of BC are individuals who appreciate and respect the great Canadian Heritage which provided the freedoms that Canadians have enjoyed throughout our history. We are dedicated to restoring the freedoms that our forefathers handed down to our generation and to preserving those freedoms for future generations. We are democratic in our principles and believe in the future of British Columbia as a strong and equal partner in a Canadian Confederation of equals, based on the foundation of our rich Canadian heritage.
Christian Heritage Party of BC members believe that all persons are created with an inherent worth and dignity, equal to every other person in creation and that every Canadian citizen is equal before and under the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.
The Christian Heritage Party of BC contends that the role of government is to pass laws to protect the public trust, to protect the environment, to provide law and order and to provide quality health care and education and a strong and vibrant economy based on free enterprise and the free flow of capital, goods and people, as well as a social safety net for those who cannot provide for themselves with no obligation to those who will not provide for themselves.
The Christian Heritage Party of BC will actively seek out individuals who are of strong moral character, who respect and acknowledge our great heritage and who are in substantial agreement with the principles of this party and will work to uphold them, in order to encourage those individuals to become active members of our party and to seek political office on our behalf
We will actively work through peaceful and lawful means to defeat and remove from office any individual that fails to uphold these values or demonstrates that he or she is unfit for their office or position. This will include any official who fails to demonstrate strong moral character, who fails to respect their fellow men and women, who disagrees with the principles of the party or who fails to uphold these principles.
Philosophy and Principles of the Christian Heritage Party of BC:
Preamble
As stated in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canada was founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the Rule of law. The members of the Christian Heritage Party of BC believe there is an enduring moral order by which men and women are to conduct themselves.
While we recognize that customs and habits can change and evolve with the mingling of different cultures and with the passage of time, we believe that the traditional values that are the basis of our great Canadian Heritage should be upheld and safeguarded for all time.
The philosophy of the Christian Heritage Party of BC includes believing in the freedom of every individual and family to achieve his or her God-given potential. This requires the ethical and moral behaviour of all the people of British Columbia. It also requires that they respect the dignity and freedom of their fellow Canadians of all ethnic backgrounds and religious or political persuasions and that they genuinely care about the needs of others, not only here in British Columbia, but across Canada and around the world.
Members of the Christian Heritage Party of BC should apply these principles consistently with respect to liberty and equality under the law and expect the same from their fellow citizens of British Columbia.
1. The role of Government
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that the task of government is to serve the interest of the citizens. We assert that government is neither a business, nor a means for a select few individuals to wield power. Instead its sole purpose is to facilitate the betterment of its citizens though the democratic process in a free and open society.
2. Respecting Rights and Freedoms
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that all people have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and that the value and dignity of the individual supersedes the rights of the state and must be protected by the state.
We believe in the equality of all British Columbians with special privileges for none. We also believe in the individual’s right to own real and personal property.
We believe in the freedom of every individual and family to achieve their God-given potential. We believe that support for the inherent worth of the family unit and the individual are the basis for the well-being of society.
We value the rights and the responsibilities of the individual and the family above those of governments at all levels. This includes freedom from unnecessary laws, regulations and taxes.
We believe that every individual in society has the right to free speech, freedom of assembly, freedom to practice the religion of their choice or the freedom not to practice any religion if they so choose. They must also have the freedom to hold and express their beliefs without fear of government interference or intimidation. Government must not interfere in the spiritual beliefs and practices of its citizens.
We believe that government must respect the rights and freedoms of all people to live according to their values and beliefs while observing the laws of Canada. We believe that government only has the right to curtail the rights of the individual when the individual fails to uphold the laws that are passed by a democratically elected government for the well-being and protection of its citizens or when the perceived rights of one individual or group infringes on the rights of another individual or group, especially the right to freedom from persecution or abuse. Where those rights neither impede not infringe on the lawful rights of other individuals, the rights of the individuals and families are superior to the rights of the state or other organization and must be upheld by the government.
3. Aboriginal Rights
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes in respect for all persons’ rights, including the rights of Aboriginal Canadians. We believe that Aboriginal peoples should be given the same rights as other British Columbians, including the right to own property, the right to work at a career of their own choosing, the right to participate equally in the benefits and lifestyle of their fellow British Columbians and the right to choose who will represent them in all levels of government. We also believe that treaty negotiations with the First Nations and the Federal Government should be given a high priority until all negotiations are brought to a successful conclusion, acceptable to all parties, that allows Aboriginal peoples residing in British Columbia to take their rightful place alongside other British Columbians, fully equal to all other British Columbians, in all respects.
4. Obligation of the Provincial Government to serve the interests of British Columbians first.
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that, while British Columbians are Canadians first and all Canadians must be equal before the laws of Canada, the primary responsibility of the Government of British Columbia is to serve the interests of the citizens of BC ahead of all other interests. We will protect BC’s publicly owned assets, our shared resources and our sovereign land base, while protecting the rights of individuals and corporations to operate in British Columbia as free from government interference as possible without abandoning the obligation of the government to protect the land, the resources and the environment for the benefit of all British Columbians.
We believe that the founders of Canada showed wisdom in dividing specific powers between the Federal and Provincial governments when crafting the British North America Act and that this division of powers should be respected by all governments in Canada, including the Federal Government.
5. The Economy
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that all citizens depend on adequate wealth creation for their material well-being and that the private sector is better equipped to create real wealth and prosperity than the public sector. We believe that the wealth of the province should, as much as possible, remain with the people, that the economy is strong when family and personal finances are strong, and that the community is strong when the residents of that community have control over and benefit from community resources.
We believe that businesses are the chief creators of jobs and their role should never be diminished by government interference or unnecessary regulation or by competition from government owned entities.
We believe a cooperative and fairly balanced labour/management environment encourages investment, job creation and employment security.
We believe that wealth redistribution is a poor substitute for wealth creation and actually kills wealth creation by the private sector and results in less wealth for everyone. Wealth redistribution by government should be limited to helping those who are in need and should never be used as a tool to win votes. The role of government in society should be limited in order to limit the cost of government.
We believe that the individual is a better manager of his or her money than the government is. We favour a tax system that is open and comprehendible and is fair to all income groups. We believe that no government should possess unlimited power to tax its citizens or to increase taxes without the consent of the citizens. We also believe the government should strive to reduce the size and scope of the government bureaucracy and to reduce taxes as much as possible.
We believe in responsible fiscal management, characterized by transparent methods of accounting which are comprehensible to the population, and long term planning that provides for debt retirement and lower taxes.
6. Public Investment
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that public investment in crown corporations, public hospitals, schools, highways and municipal infrastructure helps to create the stable business environment in which private business can flourish and that all such investments should give priority to the long term needs of all the citizens of British Columbia.
7. Social Conscience
We believe in a government that has compassion for the truly needy in society, including the disabled, the dispossessed, the sick and the elderly. We believe that real prosperity can only occur in a social environment characterized by compassion, equality of opportunity, fair labour practices, timely and effective health care and access to quality education. We believe that governments are responsible for providing a social safety net, for all who need it but not for those who do not need it,that is balanced between the role of the state, individuals and charities, with services provided at the level where they are most cost effective, efficient and accountable.
8. Democratic Accountability and Reform
We believe that governments are responsible for ensuring the provision of an educational system that promotes an understanding of our heritage and prepares us for an increasingly competitive future.
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes good government is conducted with truth, integrity and honesty that can only be achieved through openness and accountability.
We believe that every public office is a position of trust and that all citizens have the right to be governed by men and women of their own choosing who are committed to governing for the benefit of the people who elected them and are accountable to those citizens for their actions in government.
We believe that government should be elected by the people in open and free elections and be accountable to the voters and should be free to vote in the Legislature according to the wishes of the citizens who elected them.
We also believe that MLA’s should only be declared elected when they have received the support of a majority of their constituents. This can best be established through the method of voting known as Preferential Balloting
We believe the voters should have the ability to recall their elected representatives for the failure to represent their wishes throughout a specified term which is set by fixed election dates.
We believe the government should have the ability to put any issue to the voters in a referendum and that the voters should have the ability to force the government to enact or repeal any law through binding referenda by citizens’ initiative.
We believe that government should uphold the values of fairness and equality as expressed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and honour the Treaties and International Conventions to which Canada is a signatory, bearing in mind the best interests of British Columbia.
We believe the legislature has supremacy over the judiciary, the executive and the administrative branches of government and all must be held fully responsible for the proper execution of their respective functions by being held accountable to the citizens of British Columbia.
We believe that government should fully fund the independent offices of the Ombudsman, the Auditor General, Freedom of Information and Human Rights, which operate to keep the public informed on the activities of government and ensure that government is accountable to the citizens.
We believe that substantial reforms of the political system are required to create political accountability and democratic renewal in BC, and that such reforms should be instituted in a British Columbia Constitution, created by the people, for the people that clearly sets out the role of government and the limits to its power.
9. Natural Resources and the Environment
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes our natural resources should be managed responsibly to provide the optimum benefits for the citizens of BC, with emphasis on conservation for future use and full protection of the environment. We believe that measures to protect the environment must be based on sound science and not on popular myth.
We believe there should be a greater emphasis on real environmental issues at all levels of government, and greater concern for conservation of all natural resources. We also believe that government should refrain from engaging in expensive and unnecessary efforts to combat phantom threats like so-called “man-made global warming” until and unless those threats are proven to be real and not imagined and until it can be demonstrated that the efforts of government will not be futile. We believe that greater emphasis must be placed on protecting the environment from the real threats that we know exist, such as the real pollution of our land, sea and air with hazardous chemicals.
10. Education Rights
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes that government must ensure a high standard of education that promotes an understanding of our heritage and prepares us for an increasingly competitive future. Every child has the right to receive an education with full public funding, and parents have the right to choose the manner in which that education will be delivered.
11. Health Care
The Christian Heritage Party of BC believes in a comprehensive health care system that is effective, efficient, and based on the principles of affordability, accountability and timely accessibility to all BC citizens regardless of their ability to pay.
12. Justice
The Christian Heritage Party of BC holds that all citizens should be equal before the law.
We support maintaining a justice system that ensures adequately funded legal services, early intervention, protection for victims of crime, reasonable punishment for criminal activity and accountability to the public.
Conclusion
The Christian Heritage Party of BC is an inclusive party that respects and welcomes all people from every background, and which seeks to find common ground on important social and political issues while honouring and respecting the rich heritage that established and protects our freedoms and made British Columbia great.
We believe it is better for government to fear the people than for the people to fear the government.
We seek to install a government in British Columbia that is accountable to the citizens of British Columbia, not just once every four or five years at election time, but every day of every year, with our six point plan for Representative democracy and to pass legislation that benefits all of the citizens of British Columbia, not just members of the Government or a select few individuals or businesses that financially support the party in power.
These are the beliefs of the Founders of the Christian Heritage Party of BC on which all policies shall be based. The Principles and Mission Statement of the Christian Heritage Party of BC as expressed here are irrevocable and binding on all future members of the Christian Heritage Party of BC. No changes shall be made to this Mission statement or Statement of Principles and no policy shall be adopted that contravenes them.
