National Citizens Alliance

The party was led by Stephen Garvey, a perennial candidate and advocate of far-right conspiracy theories. He believes in the Great Replacement conspiracy theory and has asserted there is a deliberate plot to demographically replace European Canadians in Canada.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_4Hq-A9QIc |title=Stephen J Garvey Interview by Free Bird Media |medium=YouTube |language=en |access-date=October 17, 2019}} He was an associate of the anti-immigration group Worldwide Coalition Against Islam (WCAI) before publicly cutting ties with the group in June 2017.{{cite news |last1=Snowdon |first1=Wallis |last2=Huncar |first2=Andrea |date=May 23, 2017 |title=Anti-immigrant protest at Alberta school follows student fight |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/red-deer-high-school-protest-anti-syrian-refugee-school-fight-controversy-1.4127344 |access-date=September 20, 2017 |work=CBC News |language=en |quote=Stephen Garvey, a member of the anti-immigration group Worldwide Coalition Against Islam, said the intent of the protest was to raise awareness about the need to protect 'Canadian culture' in schools.}}{{cite news |last1=Kury de Castillo |first1=Carolyn |date=June 24, 2017 |title=Calgary rally draws dozens opposed to proposed anti-Islam event |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/3553888/calgary-rally-draws-dozens-opposed-to-proposed-anti-islam-event/ |access-date=September 20, 2017 |work=Global News |language=en |quote=Garvey suggests his event was punished because of his previous association with the World Wide{{sic}} Coalition Against Islam through their shared opposition to Sharia Law.}} He was the lead organizer of a March 2017 protest in Calgary against Motion 103 (M-103), a non-binding resolution in the federal House of Commons which condemned Islamophobia and all other forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.{{cite news|last1=Brooks|first1=Anna|title=Protesters in Calgary clash over M-103 anti-Islamophobia motion|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/protesters-in-calgary-clash-over-m-103-anti-islamophobia-motion|access-date=March 20, 2017|work=Calgary Herald|date=March 5, 2017}} Garvey dismisses the existence of Islamophobia as "complete nonsense{{nbsp}}... created in the 1990s by the Muslim Brotherhood for the sole reason to silence criticism on Islam."{{cite news|last1=Montpetit|first1=Jonathan|title=What we learned about the far right over the weekend|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/far-right-m-103-protest-what-we-learned-1.4010710|date=March 5, 2017|work=CBC News|access-date=April 17, 2020|language=en|quotation='This whole thing of Islamophobia is complete nonsense, as far as we are concerned,' Garvey said. 'It was created in the 1990s by the Muslim Brotherhood for the sole reason to silence criticism on Islam.'}}

Garvey was the spokesperson for a May 2017 protest in Red Deer, Alberta, which claimed that Syrian refugee students at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School were given more lenient punishments for participating in a fight than other students.{{Cite news|url=http://www.rdnewsnow.com/article/538848/protesters-left-unsatisfied-following-meeting-thurber-school-officials|title=Protesters left unsatisfied following meeting with Thurber school officials|date=May 23, 2017|work=rdnewsNOW|access-date=September 5, 2017|language=en}} The allegations were false, as school officials and local police confirmed all eight students received the same punishment of suspension for one week.{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=James|title='We are Albertans': Notley weighs in on Red Deer school protest by anti-immigration groups|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/we-are-albertans-notley-weighs-in-on-red-deer-school-protest-by-anti-immigration-groups|access-date=September 20, 2017|work=Calgary Herald|date=May 24, 2017|quote=School officials and the RCMP said four Canadian students and four Syrian students who had been involved in a fight had all been suspended for a week from school.}}

In June 2017, Garvey led a protest by his party against the Calgary City Council after it revoked the special event permit for the party's "Say No to Hate and Racism Festival", which the city council viewed as "anti-Muslim and Islamophobic" and other observers characterized as "anti-Islam".{{cite AV media|date=June 24, 2017|title=Message of Unity to ALL Canadians|medium=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWf0Q4eVz1Y|access-date=August 24, 2017|publisher=National Advancement Party of Canada}} Garvey and other party members attempted to hold another protest later that month but were disrupted by anti-fascist counter-protesters.{{Cite news|url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/calgary-anti-racism-activists-rally-cross-paths-with-opponents|title=Calgary anti-racism activists rally, cross paths with opponents|date=June 25, 2017|work=Calgary Herald|access-date=August 27, 2017|language=en-US}}

In August 2019, Garvey was charged with offences under the Criminal Code and Canada Elections Act for providing false information to the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada and circumventing election contribution limits.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stephen-garvey-charges-1.5251666|title=Far-right Calgary candidate faces criminal, election act charges from 2015 vote|last=Sarah|first=Rieger|date=August 18, 2019|website=CBC News|access-date=September 2, 2019}}

In September 2019, Garvey published a video of himself following Ontario MPP Gurratan Singh around MuslimFest in Mississauga and demanding to know if Singh supported political Islam. Garvey was later escorted out of the event by security. Singh denounced the encounter as racist, while other politicians, including then prime minister Justin Trudeau and federal opposition leader Andrew Scheer, released statements condemning racism and discrimination in response to the video.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/singh-muslimfest-protester-1.5267827|title=Jagmeet Singh proud of brother for confronting 'racism' at MuslimFest|last=Tunney|first=Catharine|date=September 2, 2019|work=CBC News|access-date=September 2, 2019}}

The NCA was variously described as far-right,{{cite web|title=Two members of National Citizens Alliance greeted by protesters during Saint John appearance

|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5443384/two-members-of-national-citizens-alliance-greeted-by-protesters/|website=Global News|access-date=August 14, 2019|language=en-CA|quote=The far-right, anti-immigration group, which is a federally registered party, had originally planned to hold an event at Branch 69 of the Royal Canadian Legion on Friday which was later cancelled.}}{{cite web|title=Saint John mayor joins protest against National Citizens Alliance|url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/saint-john-mayor-joins-protest-against-national-citizens-alliance-1.4487902|website=CTV News|date=June 28, 2019 |access-date=August 14, 2019|language=en-CA|quote=The mayor of Saint John was among those who showed up to protest, when members of a far-right political party showed up at City Hall on Friday.}}{{cite web|title=Large crowd cheers as far-right group escorted from rally by Halifax police|website=Toronto Star|date=August 19, 2018 |url=https://www.thestar.com/halifax/2018/08/19/large-crowd-cheers-as-far-right-group-escorted-from-rally-by-halifax-police.html|access-date=August 14, 2019|language=en-CA|quote=The National Citizens Alliance (NCA), a far-right group based in Calgary, Alta., held a "Canadians First Rally" and were quickly surrounded by counterprotestors.}}{{cite web|title=Anti-immigration rally on Hill fizzles, leader disappointed|website=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/anti-immigration-rally-on-hill-fizzles-leader-disappointed|access-date=August 14, 2019|quote=Dozens of tourists took photographs of the far-right participants, many waving Canadian and Quebec flags.}} alt-right,{{cite news |last1=Gunn |first1=Andrea |title=Atlantic Canada's alt-right fringe |url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/provincial/atlantic-canadas-alt-right-fringe-340070/ |work=The Guardian |date=August 9, 2019 |language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.metronews.ca/news/calgary/2017/03/19/alt-right-groups-hold-m-103-protest-calgary-city-hall.html|title=Alt-right groups hold M-103 protest outside Calgary City Hall|work=Metro Calgary|access-date=September 6, 2017|language=en|archive-date=September 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905142257/http://www.metronews.ca/news/calgary/2017/03/19/alt-right-groups-hold-m-103-protest-calgary-city-hall.html|url-status=dead}} right-wing populist,{{cite news |last1=Mosleh |first1=Omar |last2=Green |first2=Melanie |title=They're immigrants to Canada. So why are they supporting far-right parties that want to reduce immigration? |url=https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2019/10/27/theyre-immigrants-to-canada-so-why-are-they-supporting-populist-parties-that-want-to-reduce-immigration.html |work=Toronto Star |date=27 October 2019 |language=en}} national conservative,{{cite web |title=National Citizens Alliance of Canada |url=https://studentvote.ca/canada/party-profiles/national-citizens-alliance-of-canada/ |website=Student Vote Canada |publisher=CIVIX Canada |access-date=January 30, 2025 |language=en}} white nationalist,{{cite news |last1=McSheffrey |first1=Elizabeth |title=Two arrested after confrontation between far-right group and Halifax Against Hate |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/5421253/national-citizens-alliance-halifax-against-hate-confrontation/ |access-date=May 8, 2020 |work=Global News |date=June 22, 2019 |language=en}} anti-immigration,{{cite news |last1=Patil |first1=Anjuli |title=Why groups like the National Citizens Alliance feel comfortable speaking out |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/why-groups-like-the-national-citizens-alliance-feel-comfortable-speaking-out-1.4681406 |access-date=September 19, 2021 |work=CBC News |date=May 28, 2021}} and Islamophobic.{{cite news|last1=Montpetit|first1=Jonathan|title=What we learned about the far right over the weekend|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/far-right-m-103-protest-what-we-learned-1.4010710|date=March 5, 2017|work=CBC News|access-date=March 20, 2017|language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Sherina |title=Brampton MPP Gurratan Singh denounces Islamophobic remarks made toward him at MuslimFest |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/09/01/brampton-mpp-gurratan-singh-denounces-islamophobic-remarks-made-toward-him-at-muslimfest.html |access-date=April 17, 2020 |work=The Star |date=September 2, 2019 |language=en}} The party, however, asserted that it was "neither left nor right" because it adopted policies from both sides of the political spectrum.{{cite web |title=Our Platform and Policies |url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/about-our-policies/ |website=National Citizens Alliance |access-date=September 19, 2021 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921030819/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/about-our-policies/ |url-status=dead }}

The NCA described itself as "nationalist, pro-Canadian and anti-globalist".{{cite AV media |people=Garvey, Steven |title=We are at war with a privileged globalist elite |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0pkWbW1aQg |access-date= September 20, 2017 |format=Video |quote=We support Canadian nationalism over globalism. We are pro-Canadian, anti-globalists.}} The party's platform proposed amending the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to include the preservation ovpf "European-Canadian heritage".{{cite news |last1=Gunn |first1=Andrea |title=Atlantic Canada's alt-right fringe |url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/provincial/atlantic-canadas-alt-right-fringe-340070/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=August 9, 2019 |language=en |quotation=Garvey's policies are decidedly anti-immigrant, and he speaks extensively about the need to preserve Canada's 'European heritage'. His platform calls for a change of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to include the preservation of European-Canadian heritage.}} As such, it supported the preservation of Quebecois culture; however, it opposed Quebec independence and instead advocated for greater cooperation between the federal government and Quebec provincial government.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-canadian-unity-quebec/|title=NCA Canadian Unity and Quebec Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429183251/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-canadian-unity-quebec/|url-status=dead}} The party opposed multiculturalism in Canada and proposed repealing the Canadian Multiculturalism Act.{{cite web |title=NCA Rescind Multiculturalism Act Policy Statement |url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/nca-rescind-multiculturalism-act/ |website=National Citizens Alliance |access-date=April 24, 2020 |archive-date=April 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423062348/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-rescind-multiculturalism-act/ |url-status=dead }} It voiced opposition to the idea of a post-national state in particular.{{cite web |title=NCA Integration Of New Arrivals Policy Statement |url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/nca-integration-new-arrivals-policy-statement/ |website=National Citizens Alliance |access-date=19 September 2021 |archive-date=September 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210919004711/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/nca-integration-new-arrivals-policy-statement/ |url-status=dead }}

The NCA proposed reducing immigration to Canada, arguing that the immigration was too high for proper screening and vetting. The party also proposed restricting or halting immigration from countries with "strong terrorist activities" or countries that, in the party's view, do not share Canadian values. In addition, the party advocated for the deportation of all refugee claimants who entered Canada through the United States as part of the Safe Third Country Agreement between the two countries.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-immigration-refugees-citizenship-policy-statement/|title=NCA Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423204402/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-immigration-refugees-citizenship-policy-statement/|url-status=dead}}

The NCA was socially conservative. It proposed a ban on abortions after the first trimester (three months) of pregnancy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-abortion-policy-statement/|title=NCA Abortion Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429183310/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-abortion-policy-statement/|url-status=dead}} It advocated the prohibition of "schools and any other relevant organizations / institutions from exposing children to indoctrination [on] sexual identity".{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-lgbt-policy-statement/|title=NCA LGBTQ Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429183143/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-lgbt-policy-statement/|url-status=dead}} The party supported gun rights and described the firearms regulation in Canada as excessive and ineffective.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-firearms-policy-statement/|title=NCA Firearms Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=December 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210153820/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-firearms-policy-statement/|url-status=dead}}

The party proposed stricter penalties for animal cruelty and redefining bestiality under the criminal code,{{Cite news|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-animal-welfare-policy-statement/|title=NCA Animal Welfare Policy Statement|work=National Citizens Alliance|access-date=August 23, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=April 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429183259/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-animal-welfare-policy-statement/|url-status=dead}} which prohibits the sexual penetration of animals by humans but not the other way around.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/supreme-court-clarifies-canadas-bestiality-law-with-ruling/article30371581/|title=Supreme Court clarifies Canada's bestiality law with ruling|access-date=August 23, 2018}}

Garvey is known for his outspoken support of far-right conspiracy theories, and in turn the party's platform reflected his beliefs. The NCA supported the Great Replacement conspiracy theory and asserted there was a plot between "globalists" and "cultural Marxists" to replace European Canadians with "Third World immigrants".{{cite news |last1=Gunn |first1=Andrea |title=Atlantic Canada's alt-right fringe |url=https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/news/provincial/atlantic-canadas-alt-right-fringe-340070/ |access-date=April 17, 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=August 9, 2019 |language=en |quotation=Garvey warns that 'sustained immigration' is causing the replacement of white Canadians with 'Third World' immigrants. But in speaking with SaltWire, Garvey categorically denied being a white supremacist and blamed his reputation as such on a 'cultural Marxist' smear campaign.}} Muslims and Sikhs in particular were frequent targets of the party's anti-immigration rhetoric. In early 2021, the NCA released a statement denouncing its coverage on Wikipedia, claiming that "communists and Marxists" had been paid by mainstream media to spread misinformation about the party on the site.{{cite web |date=16 March 2021 |title=WiKi Corrupted |url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/wiki-corrupted/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805162952/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/wiki-corrupted/ |archive-date=2021-08-05 |access-date=19 September 2021 |website=National Citizens Alliance }}

The NCA also supported various anti-science conspiracy theories. It supported the chemtrail conspiracy theory and asserted the chemicals released were being used to deflect sunlight.{{cite web |last1=Garvey |first1=Stephen |title=Geoengineering: Rural Alberta |date=August 20, 2020 |url=https://blog.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/geoengineering-rural-alberta/ |publisher=National Citizens Alliance |access-date=September 30, 2020}} The party claimed that 5G radio waves caused adverse health effects and 5G technology was being used by the federal government for mass surveillance.{{cite web |title=NCA Information Technology, 5G, Mass Surveillance Policy Statement |url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/nca-information-technology-democratic-society-policy-statement/ |website=National Citizens Alliance |access-date=April 28, 2020 |archive-date=April 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423051112/https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/NCA-information-technology-democratic-society-policy-statement/ |url-status=dead }} The party did not accept the scientific consensus on climate change and dismissed it as "globalist alarmism".{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalcitizensalliance.ca/|title=Home|website=National Citizens Alliance|language=en-US|access-date=July 15, 2019}}

The party was first registered with Elections Canada in August 2015 under the name Democratic Advancement Party of Canada (DAPC). As the DAPC, it fielded four candidates in the 2015 federal election.{{cite news |title=List of registered political parties |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-election-2015-registered-parties-elections-canada-1.3277145 |access-date=April 16, 2020 |work=CBC News |date=October 18, 2015}} Garvey ran in Calgary Skyview and received 1.5% of the vote, Fahed Khalid received 0.17% of the vote in Bow River, Max Veress received 0.33% of the vote in Calgary Forest Lawn, and Faizan Butt received 0.34% of the vote in Calgary Nose Hill. No candidate was elected.{{cite web |title=PARLINFO – DEMOCRATIC ADVANCEMENT PARTY OF CANADA |url=https://lop.parl.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Party.aspx?Item=fb6c97a3-277c-43f5-8133-3c32a8908b11&Language=E |publisher=Parliament of Canada |access-date=April 17, 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170609010023/https://lop.parl.ca/ParlInfo/Files/Party.aspx?Item=fb6c97a3-277c-43f5-8133-3c32a8908b11&Language=E |archive-date=June 9, 2017 }}

In January 2017, the DAPC renamed itself the National Advancement Party of Canada (NAPC). It ran two candidates under the new name in the Calgary by-elections of April 2017: Garvey was the candidate in Calgary Heritage (79 votes, 0.3%) and Kulbir Singh Chawla was the candidate in Calgary Midnapore (81 votes, 0.3%).{{cite web|title=Calgary By-elections|url=http://www.nationaladvancementparty.ca/calgary-by-elections/|website=National Advancement Party of Canada|access-date=March 20, 2017|language=en-CA|archive-date=March 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327025118/http://www.nationaladvancementparty.ca/calgary-by-elections/|url-status=dead}} The NAPC voluntarily deregistered itself on December 31, 2017.{{cite web|author1=Elections Canada|title=Deregistration of the National Advancement Party of Canada|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/deregistration-of-the-national-advancement-party-of-canada-663922163.html|website=CNW|publisher=Cision|access-date=February 17, 2018|language=en|date=December 13, 2017}}

Garvey reregistered the party in January 2019 under its third and final name, the National Citizens Alliance (NCA). The NCA four candidates in the 2019 federal election and received 510 votes overall.[https://www.elections.ca/res/rep/off/ovr2019app/home.html Elections Canada {{!}} Official Voting Results, Forty-Third General Election] It voluntarily deregistered itself once again on February 28, 2023.{{cite web |title=Deregistration of the National Citizens Alliance of Canada |url=https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=med&dir=pre&document=feb2423&lang=e |website=www.elections.ca |publisher=Elections Canada |access-date=27 February 2023 |date=24 February 2023}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://archive-it.org/collections/227/ National Advancement Party of Canada – Canadian Political Parties and Political Interest Groups] — web archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries

{{White nationalism}}

{{Hate in Canada}}

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