“A FRESH START FOR CANADIANS”     WE'LL REDUCE THE SIZE OF GOVERNMENT AND LOWER TAXES, TO CREATE REAL JOBS...   "Decades of government building by Liberals and Tories have created a tax burden of unprecedented magnitude. Overspending, over-taxation, and bureaucratic inefficiencies must be eliminated if we are to prosper and create real jobs. A Reform government is prepared to liberate the economy from excessive government, creating a future filled with growth and opportunity."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A REFORM GOVERNMENT WILL: CAP FEDERAL SPENDING AND ENACT BALANCED BUDGET LEGISLATION  CREATE JOBS THROUGH SMALLER GOVERNMENT, AN END TO OVERSPENDING, AND LOWER TAXES STRENGTHEN THE EXPORT OPPORTUNITIES OF B.C. AND ATLANTIC CANADA  MAKE GOVERNMENT SMALLER BY ELIMINATING WASTE, DUPLICATION AND RED TAPE, AND BY TRANSFERRING MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES BACK TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES ASSURE FREE TRADE AMONG CANADIAN PROVINCES AND EXPAND TRADE OPPORTUNITIES INTERNATIONALLY  BALANCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET BY MARCH 31, 1999 BUILD ON CANADA'S STRENGTHS WITH POLICIES THAT SUPPORT AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES, AND KNOWLEDGE-BASED INDUSTRIES  LAUNCH A DEBT RETIREMENT PROGRAM TO START REDUCING THE $600 BILLION OF DEBT BUILT UP OVER 25 YEARS OF LIBERAL AND TORY OVERSPENDING    WE'LL GIVE YOU TAX RELIEF...   "High taxes are undermining the Canadian economy. They threaten the financial security of Canadians, kill jobs, hurt the ability of our entrepreneurs to compete internationally, and reduce the disposable incomes of families. It's time to give Canadians the tax relief they want and deserve."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will: Cut employers' Unemployment Insurance premiums by 28%, reducing job-killing payroll taxes in order to create more and better paying jobs. We will also equalize the premiums paid by employers and those paid by employees  Lower taxes for all Canadians: $2,000 by the year 2000 for the average family Cut capital gains tax in half to free up more capital for investment, innovation, entrepreneurship and growth  Increase the Basic Personal Amount from $6,456 to $7,900, giving tax relief to every single taxpayer in the country Extend the $3,000-$5,000 child care deduction to all parents including those who care for their children at home  Increase the Spousal Amount from $5,380 to $7,900, leveling the field for parents who choose to stay at home to look after young children, and helping families meet the needs of a more demanding economy Simplify and flatten the income tax system, and replace the GST  Eliminate the 3% and 5% federal surtaxes introduced by the federal Tories as part of our commitment to simplify and flatten income taxes    WE'LL MAKE FAMILIES A PRIORITY...   "Because of social and economic changes, many families are facing high debt, stress, bankruptcy and burnout. A Reform Government will recognize the value of families as the most important building block in our society. So you can spend less time under pressure, and more time with those you care about most."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will:  Make families a priority, and ensure that government policies and regulations are family-friendly  Extend the $3,000-$5,000 child care deduction to all parents, including those who care for their children at home  Increase the Spousal Amount from $5,380 to $7,900, leveling the field for parents who choose to stay at home to look after young children, and helping families meet the needs of a more demanding economy  Help provinces and local governments ensure that deadbeat parents live up to their responsibility to support their children when families break down. And we will ensure that agreements concerning access to children are respected and enforced  Enact a "zero-tolerance policy" on family violence  Crack down on child prostitution and child pornography     WE'LL MAKE OUR STREETS SAFE AGAIN...   "Canadians deserve to feel that they and their families are safe in their homes, at work, at school, on the street and in their communities. We want to live in a country where our children can play in the park, go to school, and grow up without fear. And we want a justice system that does more to protect law-abiding citizens than it does criminals. Canadians want a country where we can look to the future, instead of over our shoulders."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will: Repeal the Liberals' costly firearm registry (Bill C-68) and replace it with meaningful laws to fight the criminal use of firearms  Enact a Victims' Bill of Rights that puts the rights of law-abiding Canadians ahead of those of criminals Reform the parole system and abolish early release for first-degree murderers  Reform the criminal justice system to provide you with safer communities, safer streets, and safer homes Replace the Young Offenders Act with measures that hold young criminals accountable for their actions  Hold a binding national referendum on the return of capital punishment Pursue crime prevention through social policies that strengthen families and communities    WE'LL REPAIR THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET...    "Thanks to Liberal and Tory overspending, our national debt now stands at $600 billion and counting. What's more, interest payments of $50 billion a year are eating the heart out of our health and social programs. A Reform Government will put our fiscal house in order, so we will have the resources required to fund our vital social programs. As Canadians, we all believe deeply in a fair society, and in supporting one another when we need help. To that end, we will take the steps necessary to repair our social safety net, so that it works effectively and efficiently for those who need it."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will: Rescue the Canada Pension Plan from bankruptcy through Super RRSPs. Full benefits to Canadian seniors will be guaranteed and Canadians will be able to secure their own retirement through mandatory Super RRSP contributions  Retool social spending around the principles of: individual, family and community responsibility, local accountability, effective targeting to real need, and financial sustainability Return Unemployment Insurance to its original purpose: a protection against temporary job loss  Refocus equalization payments towards Canada's poorest provinces Affirm the equality in law of all Canadians and abolish federal affirmative action programs  Restore welfare to provincial and local governments  Increase federal spending on health and education by $4 billion. These funds will come from our government restructuring program   WE'LL END THE UNCERTAINTY CAUSED BY THE NATIONAL UNITY CRISIS...   "For the past few decades, Canada has been governed by an ideology which holds that an overpowering, overspending central government is the answer to every problem, including that of national unity. The Reform Party is not afraid to fundamentally rethink the way our government works. Through decentralization and a greater emphasis on local responsibility, we believe we have a realistic plan that will build a stronger, more united Canada. It will help us achieve our common objective of keeping Quebec in the federation."  Preston Manning    OUR COMMITMENT TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will: Ensure that federal legislation reflects the equality of all Canadians, resisting pressure to undermine this principle by granting special status to any one group  Lead Canadians in reshaping our country for the 21st century Offer all Canadians, including Quebecers, a fresh vision of Canada before any future referendum on secession  Give Canadians the first and last say in Canada's future through citizens' assemblies and constitutional referendums Establish a fair process and a just set of principles to safeguard the economic and political interests of Canadians, prior to any future referendum on secession  Rebalance powers, moving governmental responsibility closer to the people, and strengthening Canada's federal nature and institutions  Affirm local government as the "first level of government" closest to the people   REFORM'S FRESH START     " These days, people put little or no faith in the promises of politicians. And for good reason. Every time an election campaign comes around, so do the politicians, making all kinds of promises that are almost sure to be broken when no longer convenient."  "Reform is offering something completely different. Our commitment to implement our platform is not based on promises, but on a real democratic guarantee. We will give you the right to fire any one of our MPs if they do not do what they say they are going to do. We believe it's the fresh approach to politics Canadians are looking for."  Preston Manning    OUR GUARANTEE TO CANADIANS    A Reform Government will: Give voters direct input into decision-making through referendums and citizens' initiatives on important issues  Give you the tools to ensure we keep our promises. We will bring in workable recall for federal politicians, to hold us accountable to our constituents for the commitments we make to Canadians Involve citizens directly in our most basic law, the Constitution  Provide Canadians with better representation, more direct input into the democratic process, and the ability to hold politicians accountable for their decisions Replace partisan patronage with public review of political appointments and major contracts  Allow freer voting in the House of Commons Abolish the Liberal/Tory gold-plated MP pension plan and replace it with pensions comparable to those in the private sector. We are putting all parties on notice. This will apply to all MPs, regardless of how long they have been in the House of Commons  Replace the current undemocratic, unrepresentative Senate with a Senate that is elected, equal and effective