The Leap Manifesto is a Canadian political manifesto that was issued by a coalition of environmentalists, Indigenous, labour, and faith leaders, authors, and artists in September 2015 in the context of that year's Canadian federal election campaign. The document proposes broad changes to Canadian society and economics to respond to climate change through a policy framework that also addresses issues of wealth and income inequality, racism, and colonialism. The Leap Manifesto launched with the backing of approximately 100 prominent signatories and attracted more than 10,000 signatures the day of its release. Polling indicated that a majority of supporters of most major political parties supported the principles of the manifesto. The manifesto was not significant to parties other than the NDP. It caused significant debate within the New Democratic Party when it was not adopted at their 2016 convention due in part to opposition from Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and her supporters. A compromise saw the document instead referred to riding associations for later study. Organizers behind the manifesto launched an organization in 2017 to promote its vision, called The Leap. It operated until 2021 and succeeded in being a key convenor of "Canada's Pact for a Green New Deal" in 2019.
Platform The Leap Manifesto includes 15 points under the slogan of calling "for a Canada based on caring for each other and the planet, moving swiftly to a post-carbon future, upholding Indigenous rights, and pursuing economic justice for all." The points include:
Fully implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples A shift to a "100% clean energy economy" by 2050 A moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure projects Support for community-owned clean energy projects A universal program for energy efficiency and retrofitting, prioritizing low income communities High-speed rail and affordable, nation-wide public transit Re-training and resources for workers in carbon-intensive industries A national infrastructure-renewal program An overhaul of the agricultural industry, prioritizing local production A moratorium on international trade deals that infringe upon democratic rights Immigration status and full legal protection for all workers, including immigrants and refugees Investment in expanding "low-carbon" sectors of the economy, including through the development of a national childcare program A "vigorous debate" on the implementation of a universal basic income An end to austerity and subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, paid for with cuts to military spending and robust progressive, wealth, and corporate taxation An end to corporate funding of political campaigns and examination of voting reform
History
2015 coalition and launch The creation of the manifesto was led by prominent activist and author Naomi Klein, who wrote an initial draft before convening a summit in Toronto in May 2015 with a team of collaborators including Klein's husband, documentary filmmaker Avi Lewis, and journalist Martin Lukacs. The purpose of the summit was to bring together dozens of representatives from various sectors, such as labour unions, environmental organizations, and Indigenous rights advocates, from across the country to read, discuss, and re-shape the draft through a collaborative process. Although Klein, Lewis, and Lukacs are frequently cited as authors of the manifesto, Klein has insisted that it was largely informed by input from the summit, stating that "[t]he finished draft bears no resemblance to the first draft, which I think speaks to the fact that this was a genuinely collective process."
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