The Libertarian Party of Canada (French: Parti libertarien du Canada) is a federal political party in Canada founded in 1973.[2] The party subscribes to libertarian and classical liberal tenets; its stated mission is to reduce the size, scope, and cost of government.[4] Party policies include ending drug prohibition, ending government censorship, lowering taxes, protecting gun rights, ending laws criminalising the voluntary transfer of money for sex acts between consenting adults,[5] and non-interventionism.[6]
The party was founded on 7 July 1973 by Bruce Evoy (who became its first chairman) and seven others.[7] Evoy ran unsuccessfully for election to Parliament in the 1974 federal election in the Toronto riding of Rosedale.[8][9] The party achieved registered status in the 1979 federal election by running more than fifty candidates.[10]
The party described itself as Canada's "fourth party" in the 1980s,[citation needed] but it has since been displaced by new parties such as the Bloc Québécois and the Green Party of Canada. The party declined to join the Reform Party of Canada when it was formed in 1987.[citation needed] Many Libertarians were also attracted to provincial Progressive Conservative parties that moved to the right during the 1990s in Ontario under Mike Harris and in Alberta under Ralph Klein. The decline in the party's membership and resources resulted in Elections Canada removing their status as a registered party immediately before the 1997 federal election when the party failed to run the minimum fifty candidates needed to maintain its registration.[citation needed]
Jean-Serge Brisson led the party from 22 May 2000 until 18 May 2008, when he was succeeded by Dennis Young. Young defeated outgoing party president Alan Mercer for the leadership. Savannah Linklater was elected deputy leader.[11] In May 2011, Katrina Chowne was elected leader of the Libertarian Party. In May 2014, Tim Moen was elected leader of the Libertarian Party.[citation needed]
In the 2015 federal election, the party fielded 72 candidates and solidified their position as the sixth federal party in Canada, with growth over 500% from the 2011 federal election.[citation needed]
The next Federal Libertarian Party of Canada Convention took place in Ottawa from 5 July through 7 July 2018, concluding on the 45th anniversary of the party.[12]
In September 2018, Moen, who had previously offered the leadership of the Libertarian Party to Maxime Bernier, stated that he was open to the idea of a merger with Bernier's People's Party of Canada.[13] When asked by Global News, Bernier indicated he had no interest in a merger.[14]
The party also nominated a number of candidates to run in by-elections:
Libertarian leader Tim Moen had offered to step aside for Bernier following the results of the 2017 Conservative leadership race and adopted Bernier's platform.
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