Rest of Canada Party
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The Rest of Canada Party was a Canadian political party that intended to run candidates in all provinces outside of Ontario and Quebec, which the party believed were unfairly running the country. The party planned to form a coalition government with the Bloc Québécois if ever elected.
Founded by Ace Cetinski, a Chartered Accountant from Sherwood Park, Alberta, the party's website indicated its intent to advertise for candidates for federal by-elections to be held in September 2000, but there is no evidence that candidates were found.
Cetinski had previously sought election to the Canadian House of Commons on three occasions:
- In the 1980 federal election in the Alberta riding of Pembina, Cetinski won 465 votes (0.96% of the total) as a candidate for the Social Credit Party of Canada, placing fourth out of four candidates.
- In the 1997 federal election in the Alberta riding of Elk Island, Cetinski won 559 votes (1.29% of the total) as an independent candidate on an anti-Goods and Services Tax platform, placing fifth out of five candidates.
- In a November 15, 1999 federal by-election in the Saskatchewan riding of Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, Cetinski won 111 votes (0.71% of the total) with no designation, placing sixth out of six candidates.
The party's website is now dormant.
Cetinski has posted an article entitled, "Western Independence Now", on the Alberta Republicans website.[www.albertarepublicans.org]
Party program
(From the party's website)
The thrust of the ROC Party Concept is National Unity. In essence, it identifies Ottawa as the corrupter and not Quebec or the rest of Canada. The ROC solution to the problem is a "made-in-Canada" Swiss-style republic with the following main initiatives
- Limit Ottawa's powers to foreign affairs, Bank of Canada (currency and debt), the military, and a National Bill of Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities. All other powers are provincial except for First Nations, which will be a joint federal-provincial responsibility. There will be no wasteful duplication of responsibilities.
- Cabinet ministers for Ottawa's limited responsibilities to be elected by MPs.
- Replace the prime minister's position with an appointed president having a similar status to that of the present governor general.
- Reduce the number of MPs in line with the reduced responsibilities of Ottawa.
- Form a "House of Provinces", comprising the premiers and territory leaders to coordinate the expanded provincial responsibilities and administer our present key social programs.
- Abolish the Senate.
See also: List of political parties in Canada