Thank you, I appreciate that.
In the past twenty years, millions of tax dollars have been given to special interest groups to advance their politically correct causes through the courts. Groups like EGALE or LEAF have received hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to advocate.
Not all tax dollars flowed through the CCP, but these were some of the interests they advocated for: that people are entitled to collect welfare, regardless of the income earned by their common-law spouse residing in the same house, and by that I mean you get a welfare cheque even if you're living with someone who's earning a decent income; that non-citizens should acquire the opportunity to avoid deportation by giving birth to children in Canada; that a pregnant woman has the right to continue harming her unborn child by sniffing glue; that more tax dollars should be spent on legal aid and on health services for non-citizens; that physical fitness standards for firefighters should be lowered to accommodate women; that freedom of political speech should be restricted in the name of equality and Canadian values; that employment insurance benefits should be extended to people who have worked fewer than 700 hours in the preceding one-year qualifying period; that the state should prohibit prayer and peaceful protest near abortion clinics; that legally owned guns play a significant role in perpetrating violence against women and children; that the term spouse need not refer to a member of the opposite sex.
Through their tax dollars, all Canadians pay to advance LEAF's public policy agenda, whether they agree with it or not. Eliminating the CCP puts all groups on an equal footing, at liberty to raise funds for their own purposes through their own supporters.
In addition to LEAF, other groups have also received tax dollars through the court challenges program to argue that prisoners convicted of serious crimes should have the right to vote; that receiving welfare payments is a constitutional right; in support of the Canada Elections Act restricting us on citizen's advocacy that is independent of political parties—that is our infamous Harper versus Canada; that it should be a criminal offence for parents to spank their children; that a person convicted of importing large quantities of cocaine into Canada should receive a lighter sentence if they are black single mothers; that sexual orientation is akin to race, gender, and religion and should be added to human rights legislation; that a Guatemalan citizen with a criminal record deemed to be a danger to the public should have an automatic right to appeal a deportation decision; that marriage should be redefined to include same-sex couples.
Some Canadians will certainly agree with some of these public policies, but is it right that all Canadians, including those who disagree, are required to pay for this type of advocacy? How would LEAF supporters feel if their tax dollars were used for court challenges to recognize the rights of unborn children? How would a member of the Canadian Labour Congress, a recipient of tax dollars through the CCP, feel if tax dollars paid for court advocacy against compulsory union membership? Individuals and organizations have every right to use the courts to press for public policy change, but requiring people to pay for advocacy with which they disagree does nothing to a person's conscience.
Equality demands that government refrain from spending tax dollars to favour one side on any controversial issue. Ending the court challenges program creates a fair and level playing field for all Canadians, whatever their views might be.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.