Pirate Party of Canada#Federal Council

{{cquote|Companies had labelled people who infringe on copyright as pirates, and we figured since we were going to reform copyright law, we were going to get called pirates anyway, so we were going to adopt the term and make it our own.|author=James Wilson, former leader{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/pirate-party-s-james-wilson-aims-to-lead-party-nationally-1.2511054|title=Pirate Party's James Wilson aims to lead party nationally|date=January 25, 2014|work=cbc.ca}}}}

The Pirate Party drew its inspiration from the Piratpartiet, the Swedish Pirate Party. In 2001, the copyright industry established the Antipiratbyrån — The Anti-Piracy Bureau. In 2003, to combat this legislation, a group of artists, musicians, and cultural workers founded a think-tank called the Piratbyrån — the Piracy Bureau. In selecting that name, the Bureau was signalling that they were the progressive, while the antis were the regressive. In 2005, when copyright laws were harshened again in Sweden, the Bureau established itself as a political party becoming the Pirate Party.{{cite web|url=http://falkvinge.net/2011/02/20/why-the-name-pirate-party|title=Why The Name "Pirate Party"? - Falkvinge on Infopolicy|work=Falkvinge on Infopolicy|date=February 20, 2011 }} Because of past successes of the Bureau, the name immediately conveyed all the political ideas the party stood for. Under that banner, the Pirate Party came 5th in the 2009 European Parliament elections with 7.13% of the vote and 1 MEP, later increasing to 2 after ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, Christian Engström became the first MEP for the party, and Amelia Andersdotter took the second seat on December 1, 2009.

The Canadian Pirate Party was ideologically founded out of that movement, retaining much of the political thought of its parent party.

{{cquote|...we keep our funny name but use it to get the attention to spread to our very important causes.|author=Travis McCrea, leader{{cite web|url=https://www.pirateparty.ca/about/|title=About|work=pirateparty.ca}}}}

File:Pirate Party of Canada signet.svg

File:PPCA Branding Logo.png

In June 2009, the PPCA was founded by a handful of Canadian supporters active on the web forums of the Pirate Parties International collective.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/copyright-fighting-pirate-party-coming-to-canada-1.821694 |title=Copyright Fighting Pirate Party Coming to Canada |author=CBC News |date=June 30, 2009 |access-date=November 1, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pirateparty.ca/about/history |title=Pirate Party of Canada - History |publisher=Pirate Party of Canada |access-date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205025014/http://www.pirateparty.ca/about/history |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://pp-international.net/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=20 |title=PPI Canada Board |publisher=Pirate Parties International |access-date=March 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330153516/http://pp-international.net/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=20 |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }} The party established its own forums and removed membership fees, as part of a campaign to gain the 250 members necessary for registration,{{cite web |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/pirate-party-drops-fees-in-drive-for-recognition-1.429924 |title=Pirate Party drops fees in drive for recognition |publisher=CTV News |date=August 30, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2010}} gaining 1,000 members by October 2009.{{cite web |url=http://vueweekly.com/front/story/pirate_party_of_canada_arrrrrrrrrrrrrr/ |title=Pirate Party of Canada; Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr! |publisher=VUE Weekly |date=October 7, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005110249/http://vueweekly.com/front/story/pirate_party_of_canada_arrrrrrrrrrrrrr/ |archive-date=October 5, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}

In October 2009, the party selected university student Jacob Daynes as its interim leader and established an interim council.{{cite web |url=http://www.pirateparty.ca/uncategorized/interim-leader-and-directors |title=Interim Leader and Directors |publisher=Pirate Party of Canada |date=October 8, 2009 |access-date=November 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723081109/http://www.pirateparty.ca/uncategorized/interim-leader-and-directors |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |df=mdy-all }} On April 12, 2010, the party was granted official status by Canada's chief electoral officer, Marc Mayrand.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/04/26/the_pirate_party_seeks_your_booty.html|title=The Pirate Party seeks your booty|date=April 26, 2010|work=thestar.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thesudburystar.com/2010/04/27/avast-pirates-officially-on-ballot-13|title=Avast! Pirates officially on ballot|work=Sudbury Star|access-date=December 27, 2014|archive-date=December 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227175457/http://www.thesudburystar.com/2010/04/27/avast-pirates-officially-on-ballot-13|url-status=dead}} On August 19, 2010, the party held its first leadership elections.{{cite web|url=http://www.itbusiness.ca/news/pirate-party-of-canada-seeks-new-captain/15540|title=Pirate Party of Canada seeks new captain|work=IT Business|date=July 29, 2010 }} On September 1, 2010, the party's first Federal Council was elected, with Mikkel Paulson as party leader.{{cite web |url=http://www.pirateparty.ca/about/leadership |title=Leadership |publisher=Pirate Party of Canada |access-date=February 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229014109/http://www.pirateparty.ca/about/leadership |archive-date=December 29, 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.pirateparty.ca/uncategorized/leadership-acceptance-letter |title=Leadership acceptance letter |publisher=Pirate Party of Canada |date=September 1, 2010 |access-date=September 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913023250/http://www.pirateparty.ca/uncategorized/leadership-acceptance-letter |archive-date=September 13, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}

According to Elections Canada, the Pirate Party became eligible to field candidates on April 12, 2010 and was registered on November 6, 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=par&document=index&lang=e#ppc |title=Registered Political Parties and Parties Eligible for Registration |publisher=Elections Canada Online |access-date=November 11, 2010}} As of November 2010, the party claims to have over 2,000 members.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/885723--winnipeg-north-first-canadian-battleground-for-pirate-party |title=Winnipeg North first Canadian battleground for Pirate Party |publisher=Toronto Star |date=November 4, 2010 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |first=Debra |last=Black}}

Following the 2011 election, the party examined issues that had arisen with its constitution and began taking steps to reform it. Issues included a hard-to-reach quorum for General Meetings and the difficulties of the Federal Council members running for office while also handling party paperwork and administration. On December 19, the party adopted the new constitution and held elections for the new Executive Board and Political Council.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18|title=Constitution 2011-12-18|publisher=Pirate Party of Canada|access-date=March 20, 2012|archive-date=April 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421004327/http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18|url-status=dead}}

In June 2012, the party began the process of crowdsourcing its 2015 election platform and opened sections of its forums to guests.[https://www.pirateparty.ca/forum/index.php?topic=2269.0] {{dead link|date=September 2017}}

In July 2012, the party allegedly failed to produce its financial report for Elections Canada,{{cite web |url=http://finance.alphatrade.com/story/2012-07-04/CCN/201207041539CCNMATHWCANADAPR_0803377001.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130116180535/http://finance.alphatrade.com/story/2012-07-04/CCN/201207041539CCNMATHWCANADAPR_0803377001.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |title=Registered Political Parties Submit 2011 Financial Returns |publisher=AlphaTrade Finance |access-date=July 16, 2012}} citing a changeover of official agents for the party. However, internal party documents demonstrate that the party's membership has been advocating for a public release of the party's financial information since the 2011 federal election.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} Despite these claims, Elections Canada has all of the party's 'Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Statements of Revenues and Expenses' from 2011 until the present.{{cite web|url=http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=fin&document=index&dir=pol/asset&lang=e|title=Elections Canada Online - Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Statements of Revenues and Expenses|work=elections.ca}}

On September 27, 2009, the party launched a BitTorrent tracker, named the "Canadian Pirate Tracker" or "CaPT", with the aim of promoting its position on works being released online.{{cite web |url=http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/4417/196/ |title=Pirate Party of Canada Launches Creative Commons Tracker |author=Geist, Michael |date=September 27, 2009 |access-date=April 13, 2010 |archive-date=April 13, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413071241/http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/4417/196/ |url-status=dead }}

Pirate Party Radio was a weekly audio show from 2009–2011 produced by the Canadian RantMedia and host James O'Brien.{{cite web|url=http://www.piratepartyradio.com/|title=Pirate Party Radio Official Website|website=Piratepartyradio.com|access-date=30 September 2017|archive-date=May 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529170056/http://www.piratepartyradio.com/|url-status=dead}} It was recognised by the Pirate Party of Canada,{{cite web|url=http://www.piratepartyofcanada.com/|title=Link on Pirate Party of Canada Site to Pirate Party Radio|website=Piratepartyofcanada.com|access-date=30 September 2017}} United States Pirate Party{{cite web|url=http://www.pirate-party.us/content/pirate-party-radio#comment-394|title=Approval of Pirate Party Radio for US Pirate Party|website=Pirate-party.us|access-date=30 September 2017}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and Pirate Party UK.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/PiratePartyUK/status/2092571761319937|title=Pirate Party UK tweet endorsing Pirate Party Radio|website=Twitter.com|access-date=30 September 2017}} On May 5, 2011 the weekly broadcasts stopped.

In 2011, in response to lawful access legislation that was being put forward in Parliament, the party announced it would launch a VPN service to help guard Canadians' online privacy.{{cite web|url=http://www.canadiancontent.net/commtr/pirate-party-plans-offer-canadians-vpn-service_1067.html|title=Pirate Party plans to offer Canadians VPN service|work=canadiancontent.net}}

In early 2012, also in response to Bill C-30, several members of the party created a new Linux distro titled Pirate Linux. It is installable as a package on an existing Linux system or as its own distribution based on Ubuntu. It includes many privacy enhancements, including utilizing Tor with browsers preconfigured for its use.{{cite web|url=http://piratelinux.org/?page_id=13|title=About|work=piratelinux.org|access-date=October 20, 2015}}

{{rquote|right|Whether you watched a movie at a friend's house that you didn't pay for, or if you borrowed a book, that's essentially what they are calling piracy.|Mikkel Paulson, former leaderCapilano Courier, [http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/images/2/23/Ppca_Cap_Courier.jpg Free the Internet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005172021/https://wiki.pirateparty.ca/images/2/23/Ppca_Cap_Courier.jpg |date=October 5, 2015 }}}}

The central principles of the PPCA include the establishment of transparent government, a basic income guarantee, personal autonomy,{{cite web|url=https://thegatewayonline.ca/2015/09/group-commentary-who-are-you-voting-for/|title=Group Commentary - Who are you voting for? - The Gateway|work=The Gateway|date=September 23, 2015 }} and traditional Pirate Party ideals such as intellectual property reform, patent reform, net neutrality, and internet privacy. The party explicitly called for net neutrality in Canada, and suggested that medical patents are preventing innovations that could save lives.{{cite web |url=http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2552019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906011846/http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2552019 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 6, 2012 |title=Avast! Pirates officially on ballot |publisher=Niagara Falls Review |access-date=April 10, 2012 }} Candidates have also suggested that making government records available online may encourage transparency, and allow citizens to more directly scrutinize and participate in the process.

Like their Pirate counterparts worldwide, the PPCA is bloc-neutral on other issues, noting that issues outside the party's realm are left to the individual candidate to represent their own constituents' desires.{{cite web|url=http://www.steinbachonline.com/local-news/vote-pirate|title=SteinbachOnline.com - Local news, Weather, Sports, Free Classifieds and Business Listings for Steinbach, Manitoba|work=steinbachonline.com|access-date=February 29, 2012|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110251/http://www.steinbachonline.com/local-news/vote-pirate|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Pirate/Non-Pirate_Issues |title=Pirate/Non-Pirate Issues (PPCA Wiki) |publisher=Pirate Party of Canada |access-date=November 29, 2010 |archive-date=July 6, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706193633/http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Pirate/Non-Pirate_Issues |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.leaderpost.com/technology/Copyright+changes+eyed+Pirates/4581465/story.html |title=Copyright changes eyed by Pirates |website=www.leaderpost.com |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910065110/http://www.leaderpost.com/technology/Copyright+changes+eyed+Pirates/4581465/story.html |archive-date=10 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}

The PPCA has been heralded by OpenMedia.ca for its "digital policy issues".{{cite web|url=http://www.thewirereport.ca/reports/content/12354-openmedia_releases_political_party_report_cards|title=OpenMedia releases political party report cards|author=The Wire Report|work=thewirereport.ca|access-date=February 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824075103/http://www.thewirereport.ca/reports/content/12354-openmedia_releases_political_party_report_cards|archive-date=August 24, 2011|url-status=dead}}

The PPCA supports guaranteed minimum income.{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/news/547186/ric-lim-pirate-party-canada-committed-open-society|title=Ric Lim: Pirate Party of Canada is committed to an open society|work=Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly|date=October 2015 }}

On March 1, 2015, the party provided a press release in opposition to Bill C-51, calling for debate, criticism and discussion.{{cite web|url=https://www.pirateparty.ca/2015/03/02/press-release-stephen-harpers-bill-c-51-undermines-canadian-democracy-and-amounts-to-anti-dissent-laws/|title=PRESS RELEASE: Stephen Harper's Bill C-51 undermines Canadian democracy and amounts to anti-dissent laws|work=pirateparty.ca|access-date=June 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603154534/https://www.pirateparty.ca/2015/03/02/press-release-stephen-harpers-bill-c-51-undermines-canadian-democracy-and-amounts-to-anti-dissent-laws/|archive-date=June 3, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Among their criticisms, they believe that the bill is redundant as there are existing laws dealing with terrorists, and this proposal opens the potential for governmental abuse as it "will also allow the government to arrest and incarcerate any citizen based on subjective evidence, then have that evidence destroyed."Bill C-51 Secret Court Appeals §16(6)

Image:Mikkel Paulson High Level Bridge cropped.jpg

Image:SVulliez Pirate Party of Canada.jpg

The party is run by three organs of party governance: the Executive Board, the Political Council, and the General Meeting. The Executive Board consists of the president, vice-president, secretary, leader, deputy leader, and chairs of standing committees of the party.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_VI._Executive_Board|title=Constitution 2011-12-18|work=pirateparty.ca|access-date=February 25, 2012|archive-date=April 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421004327/http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_VI._Executive_Board|url-status=dead}} The Political Council consists of the leader, deputy leader and other council members elected by approval voting.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_VII._Political_Council|title=Constitution 2011-12-18|work=pirateparty.ca|access-date=February 25, 2012|archive-date=April 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421004327/http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_VII._Political_Council|url-status=dead}} The General Meeting is open to all members and meets monthly.{{cite web|url=http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_V._General_Meetings|title=Constitution 2011-12-18|work=pirateparty.ca|access-date=February 25, 2012|archive-date=April 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421004327/http://wiki.pirateparty.ca/index.php/Constitution_2011-12-18#Article_V._General_Meetings|url-status=dead}} While the Executive Board and Political Council can act independently in most matters, the General Meeting has veto power over their decisions and may pass their own motions.{{cite web |url=https://www.pirateparty.ca/about/leadership |title=Leadership |author=Pirate Party of Canada |access-date=February 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229042923/https://www.pirateparty.ca/about/leadership |archive-date=December 29, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}{{cite web |url=https://www.pirateparty.ca/about/general-meetings |title=General Assembly |author=Pirate Party of Canada |access-date=February 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229035925/https://www.pirateparty.ca/about/general-meetings |archive-date=December 29, 2010 |df=mdy-all }} If a member of the party became elected, that member would become the leader of the party; if multiple members of the party become MPs, the MP who got elected with the highest percentage would become the party leader.{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/news/547186/ric-lim-pirate-party-canada-committed-open-society|title=Ric Lim: Pirate Party of Canada is committed to an open society|work=Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly|date=October 2015|access-date=October 20, 2015}} This party leader would still be answerable to the party as a whole, and could be replaced by the council.

• Jacob Daynes (2009–2010)
• Mikkel Paulson (2010–2012)
• Shawn Vulliez (2012–2013)
• Travis McCrea (2013)
• James Wilson (2013–2015)
• Ric Lim (2015–2016)

File:PPoC logo sge sm.png

{{Main|By-elections to the 40th Canadian Parliament#Winnipeg North}}

The first federal election contested by the party was the November 2010 by-election in Winnipeg North, finishing ahead of the Communist and Christian Heritage parties, but behind the Green Party.{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/winnipeg-by-election-attracts-pirate-party-candidate/article1785521/ |title=Winnipeg by-election attracts Pirate Party candidate |publisher=The Globe & Mail |date=November 4, 2010 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |location=Toronto}}

Jeff Coleman, a 25-year-old small business owner, was the first Pirate Party of Canada candidate to run for federal election.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2010/11/04/winnipeg_north_first_canadian_battleground_for_pirate_party.html|title=Winnipeg North first Canadian battleground for Pirate Party|work=thestar.com|date=November 4, 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/winnipeg-by-election-attracts-pirate-party-candidate/article1216096/|title=Winnipeg by-election attracts Pirate Party candidate|work=The Globe and Mail|date=November 4, 2010}}

{{Main|2011 Canadian federal election}}

For the 2011 federal election, the party put forward candidates in 10 of the 308 ridings but failed to win a seat. The party's candidates received a total of 0.60% the votes in contested ridings (averaging 0.63% per riding). The Langley Times noted that Craig Nobbs ran a zero-dollar campaign.{{cite web|url=http://www.langleytimes.com/news/136386783.html|title=Langley Pirate candidate ran a zero-dollar campaign|author=Dan Ferguson|work=Langley Times|access-date=February 29, 2012|archive-date=October 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131026083648/http://www.langleytimes.com/news/136386783.html|url-status=dead}} The party's candidates won a total of 3,197 votes.{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/news/pirate-party-canada-hooks-over-3000-votes-first-general-election|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130713114146/http://www.straight.com/news/pirate-party-canada-hooks-over-3000-votes-first-general-election|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-07-13|title=Pirate Party of Canada hooks over 3,000 votes in first general election|work=The Georgia Straight - Vancouver News and Entertainment Weekly}}

{{Main|By-elections to the 41st Canadian Parliament#Toronto Centre}}

After Bob Rae resigned as the member for Toronto Centre riding, a by-election was held on November 25, 2013. On August 2, 2013, Travis McCrea announced that he was running in the riding.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/08/pirate-party-poised-to-hit-the-by-election-hustings-in-to-centre.html|title=Pirate Party poised to hit the by-election hustings in TO Centre|author=Kady O'Malley|date=May 20, 2014|work=cbc.ca}} On October 11, 2013, McCrea stepped down from the leadership of the Pirate Party of Canada, and withdrew his name from the by-election, citing depression.{{cite web|url=http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/822529/pirate-party-of-canada-leader-steps-down-to-seek-mental-health-help/|title=Pirate Party of Canada leader steps down to seek mental health help|work=Metro|access-date=December 11, 2014|archive-date=December 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213063024/http://metronews.ca/news/toronto/822529/pirate-party-of-canada-leader-steps-down-to-seek-mental-health-help/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pirateparty.ca/2013/10/13/resignation-of-travis-mccrea-as-party-leader/|title=Resignation of Travis McCrea as Party Leader|work=pirateparty.ca|access-date=October 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211150340/https://www.pirateparty.ca/2013/10/13/resignation-of-travis-mccrea-as-party-leader/|archive-date=December 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/piratepartyca/posts/10151912721956438?fref=nf|title=I would like to announce that effective... - Pirate Party of Canada / Parti Pirate du Canada - Facebook|work=facebook.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPolitics/comments/1o82gi/pirate_party_of_canada_leader_resigns_drops_out/|title=Pirate Party of Canada Leader Resigns, Drops out of TO By Election : CanadaPolitics|work=reddit|date=October 11, 2013}}

{{Main|2015 Canadian federal election}}

The 42nd federal election was held on October 19, 2015. The PPCA ran five candidates; two each in Alberta and British Columbia, and one in Ontario.{{cite web|title=Affirmed Candidates List|url=https://my.pirateparty.ca/election2015.html|website=Election 2015 Campaign|publisher=Pirate Party of Canada|access-date=October 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003202711/https://my.pirateparty.ca/election2015.html|archive-date=October 3, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} James Wilson, a former leader of the party, planned to run in New Brunswick's Fundy Royal riding, but ultimately did not.{{cite web|title=Who are the candidates in my electoral district? - Fundy Royal (New Brunswick)|url=http://www.elections.ca/Scripts/vis/candidates?L=e&ED=13004&EV=41&EV_TYPE=1&PC=&PROV=NB&PROVID=13&MAPID=&QID=8&PAGEID=17&TPAGEID=&PD=&STAT_CODE_ID=-1|website=Voter Information Service|publisher=Elections Canada|access-date=October 2, 2015|date=September 30, 2015}} At the time of the election, Scott Milne ran at the age of eighteen.{{cite web|url=http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/Pirate_Party_raids_riding_330201921.html|title=Red Deer Advocate - Pirate Party raids riding|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160120143905/http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/Pirate_Party_raids_riding_330201921.html|archive-date=January 20, 2016}} The party received a total of 906 votes nationally.http://enr.elections.ca/National.aspx?lang=e Elections Canada, Results 2015

{{rquote|right|"It’s pretty funny, given that this very same group of people is working on harsher copyright law with Bill C-11. It just highlights how absurd and unenforceable this copyright monopoly is."|Travis McCrea, former leader{{cite web|url=http://ajournalofmusicalthings.com/busted-canadian-parliament-filled-with-media-pirates/|title=A Journal of Musical ThingsBusted! Canadian Parliament Filled with Media Pirates - A Journal of Musical Things|work=A Journal of Musical Things|date=January 5, 2012}}}}

On January 1, 2012, twelve{{cite web|url=https://www.straight.com/news/pirate-party-canada-links-illegal-downloads-house-commons|title=Pirate Party of Canada links illegal downloads to House of Commons|work=Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly|date=January 3, 2012}} IP addresses assigned to the Canadian House of Commons were found to have downloaded copyrighted films, music, e-books and software without permission.{{cite web|url=http://torrentfreak.com/busted-canadian-parliament-hosts-bittorrent-pirates-120101/|title=Busted: Canadian Parliament Hosts BitTorrent Pirates|work=TorrentFreak}} In the same leak, similar activities were linked to the U.S. House of Representatives and the French President's residence, the Elysees Palace.{{cite web|url=http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2012/01/03/19196571.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130713114147/http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2012/01/03/19196571.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 13, 2013|title=Parliament Hill pirates snagged for file-sharing|author=Canoe inc.|work=canoe.com}} The discovery was attributed to the PPCA.{{cite news|url=http://business.financialpost.com/2012/01/03/pirate-party-discovers-illegal-downloading-in-the-house-of-commons/?__lsa=e6e8-1c4d|title=Pirate Party finds downloading of copyrighted material in House of Commons|author=Financial Post Staff|date=January 4, 2012|work=Financial Post}}

Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May noted that the PPCA seemed redundant, as the two parties shared the majority of their platforms on copyright reform, medical patents and intellectual property;{{cite news |url=http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86609/we-dont-need-a-canadian-pirate-party-green-party-leader/ |title=We Don't Need a Canadian Pirate Party – Green Party Leader |publisher=Zeropaid |date=July 8, 2009 |access-date=March 20, 2012 |first=Drew |last=Wilson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506032813/http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86609/we-dont-need-a-canadian-pirate-party-green-party-leader/ |archive-date=May 6, 2012 |url-status=dead }} but the PPCA responded that "even if the Green Party had the same stance as us, [...] they were not talking about these issues in the last election; no party was".{{cite news |url=http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86622/exclusive-canadian-pirate-party-responds-to-green-party/ |title=Exclusive Canadian Pirate Party Responds to Green Party |publisher=Zeropaid |date=July 8, 2009 |access-date=March 20, 2012 |first=Drew |last=Wilson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429170938/http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86622/exclusive-canadian-pirate-party-responds-to-green-party/ |archive-date=April 29, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

David Shipley, an analyst at the University of New Brunswick's Information Technology Services department, has criticized the party for running mostly on Internet-related issues, which may not be enough to garner votes. He is quoted as saying: "How much people decide where they're going to place their vote based on their entertainment preferences, I'm not sure."

Jon Pammett, professor of political science at Carleton University, sees issues with small single-issue parties, like the PPCA. In his opinion the Pirate Party has a larger set of issues than most as they have "picked a set of quite complicated and technical issues, however, and may have some difficulty using the limited attention they get in public campaign events to adequately explain them."{{cite web|url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/04/14/fringe-profile-pirate-party-champions-internet-issues/|title=Fringe profile: Pirate Party champions Internet issues|author=Adrian Humphreys|date=April 14, 2011|work=National Post}}

• Pirate Party
• Anti-copyright
• Party for Accountability, Competency and Transparency

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.pirateparty.ca/}}
• [https://wayback.archive-it.org/227/*/https://www.pirateparty.ca/ Pirate Party of Canada – Canadian Political Parties and Political Interest Groups] - web archive created by the University of Toronto Libraries

{{Canadian federal political parties}}

{{Pirate Party}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pirate Party Of Canada}}

Canada

Category:Federal political parties in Canada

Category:Political parties established in 2009

Category:2009 establishments in Quebec