DAY'S PLAN FOUND IN SECRET PAPER

Free Vote On Marijuana Use, Sale Of CBC, End Of Native Tax Exemptions Among
Policies Outlined

TORONTO -- Under the prime ministership of Stockwell Day, Parliament would
hold a free vote on marijuana use, natives on reserves would lose their
sales-tax exemptions, the CBC would be put up for sale, and 25 per cent of
the voters in a riding could unseat a member of Parliament.

These and many other policies are contained in the official but
confidential policy background document sent to Canadian Alliance riding
candidates in the coming federal election. A copy of the document has been
obtained by The Globe and Mail.

The policy overview is to be used by candidates when questioned by
reporters, in debates or during door-to-door-canvassing. It not only
elaborates on the broad outlines of Alliance policy contained in the
party's released election platform, but also offers "talking points,"
explaining how to answer questions or elaborate on issues.

The policies as outlined in the background document go considerably farther
than either Mr. Day or his official election platform have been prepared to
venture.

For example, the Alliance has proposed referendums on contentious issues if
there was sufficient public interest, without defining how that interest
would be measured.

The overview, however, sets a target of "3 per cent of the total number of
voters who cast ballots in the last election" as the minimum number of
names needed on a petition to force a referendum on capital punishment or
abortion.

Based on 1997 federal election returns, 395,244 signatures would be
required to force a referendum under Alliance rules.

The Alliance platform vaguely states that it would allow the Canadian
Broadcasting Corp. to "raise private capital," in order to secure new
funding. The talking points maintain that the broadcaster could be put up
for sale. "The Canadian Alliance government will consider bids for CBC
television and internet services, subject to majority Canadian ownership .
. . the government shouldn't compete with private broadcasters," it states.

Phil von Finckenstein, director of communications for the party, insisted
the policies contained in the briefing binders were not final party policy.

The documents "are put together by researchers to give candidates
background information on issues," he said in an interview.

The policy document gives a number of details that have not been discussed
on the campaign trail.

For example, Mr. Day has often promised tax credits for parents sending
their children to religious or other private schools.

The platform overview goes considerably further: "The Alliance will
undertake negotiations with the provinces to ensure that all parents have
equal access to education that reflects their beliefs and preferences since
the parents know what is best for their children."

Such negotiations could lead to vouchers, in which parents can deposit
their education taxes in the form of tuition payments to the private schools.

"In essence, it will lead to a two-tier education system," protested Liz
Sandals, president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association.
Wealthy citizens will be able to combine their vouchers with private
resources to send their children to exclusive schools, she maintained, "and
then you will have the poor, who in essence will become trapped in a
default public system."

Similarly, while the Alliance election platform states only that aboriginal
people should "pay their fair share of federal and provincial tax," the
talking points specify that residents on reserves would lose their
exemption from paying GST on goods purchased on or delivered to a reserve.

"The Canadian Alliance will ensure that Status Indians living on-reserve
have the same tax obligations as aboriginal people living off-reserve and
all other Canadians," it states.

The document also proposes that any federal-provincial disputes over fiscal
issues, such as the bitter conflict between Ottawa and the provinces over
whether health care was adequately funded, would be resolved by binding
arbitration, greatly weakening the federal government's power.

The overview is "simply there to help candidates who haven't been fully
briefed on the issues to become fully briefed," Mr. von Finckenstein
maintained.

Canadian Alliance platform highlights: A Time for Change

Highlights from the Canadian Alliance's A Time For Change: Platform Overview:

National Referendums: "A Citizens' Initiated Referendum would occur if
voters collected sufficient signatures on a special petition, to force a
nationwide vote on a particular policy, law or subject. The Canadian
Alliance proposes that 3% of the total number of voters who cast ballots in
the last election would have to sign such a petition."

(Based on the 1997 election results, 395,244 names would be required to
force a referendum on abortion, capital punishment or other subject.)

CBC TV: "The Canadian Alliance government will consider bids for CBC
television and Internet services, subject to maintaining majority Canadian
ownership. . . . The government shouldn't compete with private broadcasters."

First Nations: "The Canadian Alliance will ensure that status Indians
living on reserve have the same tax obligations as aboriginal people living
off-reserve and all other Canadians."

Recalling MPs: "Recall of an MP could occur if voters in a specific riding
collected sufficient signatures, on a special petition, to force a
by-election. . . . The Canadian Alliance has proposed that the petition
should be signed by at least 25% of the total number of voters who cast
ballots in a particular riding in the last election."

Free vote on marijuana use: "The Canadian Alliance has no agenda to
decriminalize marijuana, however we will commit to a national debate and a
free vote in the House of Commons on the use of marijuana."

Abolishing Employment Equity: An Alliance government will appeal the
Employment Equity Act, which preferentially hires women, aboriginals,
visible minorities, and the disabled for federal-government positions.
Special programs for the disabled will be preserved.

Funding for Private Education: As well as providing tax credits for parents
with children in private or religious schools, an Alliance government would
negotiate with provinces "to ensure that all parents have equal access to
education for their children that reflects their beliefs and preference
since parents know what is best for their children."

Supreme Court Justices and other major appointments: "The Alliance will
require Parliament to approve major appointments like Supreme Court
justices, heads of Crown corporations such as the CBC and the Governor of
the Bank of Canada."

Tougher drinking-driving laws: The Alliance would lower the blood-alcohol
level for impaired-driving from .08 to .05.

Using the Notwithstanding Clause: An Alliance government would use the
constitution to override the Supreme Court, if necessary, to preserve laws
banning possession of child pornography.

Infrastructure: An Alliance government would focus on upgrading north-south
transportation corridors between Canada and the United States, "in order to
create a seamless, integrated transportation system that will improve the
movement of goods."

Student Loans: Eliminate the existing Canada Student Loans Program for
college and university students and implement an income-contingent loan
program, in which loans are paid back based on income.

Subsidies: Eliminate all regional subsidies, including Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Canada Economic Development-Quebec Region
(CED-Q), Federal Economic Development-Northern Ontario (FEDNOR) and Western
Economic Diversifications (WED). "The Alliance believes in tax cuts for the
many instead of failed subsidies for the few."

Via Rail: "The Alliance will privatize Via so that travellers will be given
more efficient travel options."

Airlines: An Alliance government would negotiate a liberalized Air Service
Agreement with the United States and other countries to increase foreign
competition on Canadian routes.

Foreign Aid: Developmental aid (as opposed to humanitarian aid) "should be
focused on regions where a crisis would directly affect Canada's political,
economic and security interests (Eastern Europe and Russia, the Middle East
and the Pacific Rim . . . to oversee humanitarian aid, incl. Africa.) We
will replace CIDA [Canadian International Development Agency] with a new
agency at arm's length from the government, with development and relief
organizations directly represented on its board."