The Animal Protection Party of Canada (French: Parti pour la protection des animaux du Canada) is a minor registered political party in Canada that focuses on animal rights and environmentalism. It was formed in 2005 as the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada by the merger of two organizations, the Animal Alliance of Canada and Environment Voters; it changed to its current name in 2016.[2] Both parent organizations have been vocal in opposition to the seal huntinNewfoundland and Labrador, fur farming, trapping, and bear hunting. The party is led by Liz White, a Toronto-based animal rights advocate.
Animal Protection Party of Canada | |
|---|---|
| Active federal party | |
 | |
| Leader | Liz White |
| Deputy Leader | Jordan Reichert[1] |
| Founded | 2005 as Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada |
| Merger of |
|
| Headquarters | 101–221 Broadview Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4M 2G3 |
| Ideology |
|
| Colours | Forest Green |
| Senate |
0 / 105
|
| House of Commons |
0 / 338
|
| Website | |
| animalprotectionparty.ca | |
|
| |
Federal laws restricting political advocacy by "third parties" (i.e., organizations not registered by Elections Canada as political parties) during election campaigns led to the formation of this party. Following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that allowed political parties to be registered by only running a single candidate, animal rights activists formed the party.[3] The AAEV party provides its members and candidates the opportunity to promote its views during election periods.[4]
The party originally endorsed major-party candidates who promoted positions favourable to its own. In the 2006 general election, AAEV's free-time political ads endorsed the New Democratic Party, counterbalanced by the statement that voters could also vote for AAEV party leader Liz White in Toronto Centre.[5]
Canadian electoral laws hinder misuse of this loophole by setting campaign spending limits for parties, proportional to the number of voters in the electoral districts where the party is running candidates. Because the AAEV was running only one candidate, it was permitted to spend $66,715.37, compared to the $18,225,260.74 limits granted to the major national parties.[6] In 2008, the party ran four candidates. In 2011, it ran 7 candidates with one candidate in the Western Arctic riding. In 2015, the party ran 8 candidates, with one in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2019, the party ran 15 candidates. The party now acts like a traditional political party and rarely endorses other parties or candidates.
In the 2008 general election, the AAEVPC fielded four candidates, all in Ontario:
In the 2011 general election, the AAEVPC fielded seven candidates: six in Ontario, one in the territories:
In the 2015 general election, the AAEVPC fielded eight candidates:[8] seven in Ontario, one in British Columbia:
In the 2019 general election, the APPC fielded fifteen candidates: eight in Ontario, two in British Columbia, two in New Brunswick, one in Quebec, one in Nova Scotia, and one in Alberta.[10]
In the 2021 federal election, the APPC fielded ten candidates: six in Ontario, one in British Columbia, two in Quebec, and one in Manitoba.[11]
| Election | # of candidates | # of votes | % of popular vote | % in contested ridings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 | 72[12] | 0.00% | 0.12% |
| 2008 by-election | 1 | 123 | 0.00% | 0.51% |
| 2008 | 4 | 527[13] | 0.00% | 0.28% |
| 2011 | 7 | 1,344[14] | 0.01% | 0.40% |
| 2015 | 8 | 1,761 | 0.01% | 0.36% |
| 2019 | 17 | 4,407 | 0.02% | 0.45% |
| 2021 | 10 | 2,546[15] | 0.01% | 0.48% |