Policies - Democratic Reform
Democratic Reform – Encouraging Truth in Politics
Approved: 17 January 2025
Whereas:
- Historically, politicians have used deceptive practices, including blatant lies, in the search for power, but the problem is getting worse 1;
- Lies pose a danger, particularly in crises such as the COVID pandemic, the climate emergency, and other global geopolitical crises 2,3;
- Voters are not particularly adept at identifying accuracy and validity of information provided by politicians 4;
- Increasingly, politically convenient lies are causing direct harm to people 5; and
- Lying in politics erodes confidence in democratic systems and in the politicians themselves 6,7,8;
Be It Resolved:
The Green Party of Manitoba will:
- Bring forward legislation to disqualify MLAs and candidates found guilty of deliberate deception;
- Establish a non-partisan board to handle complaints by voters regarding lies by candidates and MLAs;
- Encourage educational institutions to expand education on media awareness, bias, and fact-checking; and
- Encourage media outlets to actively engage with fact-checking processes.
1. Yes, politicians are lying more — voters demand it
2. Hannah Arendt and the politics of truth
3. Lying in Politics and the Rise of Post-Truth: Philosophical Perspectives and Current U.S. Challenges
4. Deception Detection in Politics: Can Voters Tell When Politicians are Lying
5. The Trump Campaign’s Lies Are Hurting Haitians Across The Country Off
6. Misinformation is eroding the public’s confidence in democracy
7. Lying Politicians Are Killing Our Democracies
8. Welsh government commits to making lying in politics illegal
Democratic Reform – Reducing Annual Political Contribution Limits
Approved: 28 May 2023
Whereas:
- According to Elections Manitoba, “Campaign finance legislation is based on the premise that money is a significant factor in electoral success”1;
- Presently (May 2023) Elections Manitoba limits total annual political contributions by any Manitoba resident to $5,000 (Parties and candidates combined) and to $3,000 per leadership candidate during Party leadership campaigns2; and
- The current limits benefit more affluent contributors and those Parties and candidates typically supported by such contributors;
Be It Resolved:
The Green Party of Manitoba advocates
- reducing the annual political contribution limit by any Manitoba resident as follows (adjusted for inflation from 2023):
-
- An annual limit of $500 in total to any and all political parties plus;
- An annual limit of $500 in total to any and all candidates/constituency associations plus; and
- An annual limit of $500 for leadership campaigns.
References