The National Citizens Coalition (NCC) is a Canadian conservative lobby group that campaigns against public services, trade unions, and in favour of smaller government and lower taxes.[1] Incorporated in Ontario in 1975, the NCC was founded by insurance agent Colin M. Brown, who began an advertising campaign in 1967 against what he perceived as excessive government spending.[2] Brown was vehemently opposed to public health insurance,[3] although the NCC is now reluctant to take such a harsh stand on this issue, as it would be unpopular with the electorate to oppose a program which currently allows all Canadians the right to health care, irrespective of income. The NCC would go on in subsequent years to campaign against "socialized medicine" and other government programs.[3] The NCC has supported privatization, tax cuts and government spending cuts; it also opposes electoral laws that limit third-party spending. It has been heavily involved in advertising, political campaigns and legal challenges in support of its goals of "more freedom through less government."[4]
The NCC claims a membership of between 40,000 to 45,000 individuals, but has not released members' names. Stephen Harper, the current Prime Minister of Canada, served as President of the organization from 1998 to 2002.
The NCC holds no annual general membership meetings and provides no financial statements to its members. The organization's constitution distinguishes between 'voting' and 'public' members. Public members pay dues but do not have formal mechanisms for influencing the organization's policies or priorities. Public members are not entitled to be notified of or to attend any meetings, and they are not entitled to vote at any such meetings.
It is headquartered in Toronto and reports an annual budget of $2.8 million. The organization has fought to keep information about itself confidential, and opposed amendments to the Canada Elections Act that would have required third-party organizations like the NCC to publish the names of all contributors donating more than $250.
During its almost four decades of existence, the NCC has campaigned against:
The NCC founded and funded Ontarians for Responsible Government, a lobby group that played a large role in electing the Progressive Conservative Harris government in Ontario of 1995-2003. It has also legally challenged electoral financing laws limiting third-party advertising spending during election campaigns.