Dominic Cardy has realistic expectations of 'low-key, little party' he leads

Sam Farley · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 08, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

Even with conscionable a twelve chairs acceptable retired successful a Fredericton hall, only fractional them were filled Monday nighttime erstwhile Dominic Cardy, person of the the Canadian Future Party, launched his run for predetermination to Parliament.

But for Cardy, that was all right.

The Canadian Future Party, billed arsenic a centrist alternate erstwhile it was created past summer, is a "low-key, small party, but with a large message," helium said.

"I'm lasting present saying my enactment is not competing for government," said Cardy, who is running in Fredericton-Oromocto. "We are competing to person our ideas stolen by the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party.

"We're present for the agelong haul."

Cardy said his enactment is lone moving astir 20 candidates crossed Canada because of the challenges of organizing aft a drawback predetermination call.

WATCH | Dominic Cardy knows his caller enactment won't beryllium forming a government: 

His code focused chiefly connected U.S. threats astir annexing Canada and connected what helium sees arsenic threats to ideology if Russia and China go much ascendant powers. 

Cardy said helium would summation subject spending to 5 per cent of the country's fund to lucifer NATO allies.

The party will merchandise its afloat level aboriginal successful the week week, but defence volition stay Cardy's cardinal issue.

"And close present determination is nary taxable that Canadian politicians should beryllium talking astir different than what we bash to hole our state for the situation that is upon us, and we are already agelong delayed successful responding to," helium said.

The caller party's slim chances of winning springiness him the powerfulness to beryllium much honorable astir issues facing Canada than the large enactment leaders are, Cardy said, referring to Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

"Mr. Carney, Mr. Poilievre, beryllium honorable with Canadians astir the menace that faces us: a satellite sliding rapidly toward war," helium said. 

"Because Canada has a agleam aboriginal if we privation it. We tin beryllium the bluish antiauthoritarian superpower. We tin beryllium the arsenal for democracy."

Cardy is simply a acquainted sanction successful New Brunswick aft a agelong vocation successful New Brunswick politics. 

He was the person for the New Brunswick NDP successful 2014 and helped present their biggest vote-share, but failed to triumph immoderate seats. 

He resigned arsenic person successful 2017 and moved to the Progressive Conservative Party, wherever helium was elected arsenic Fredericton-Hanwell MLA and served successful Blaine Higgs's cabinet. But successful a fiery missive captious of the premier's enactment style, helium resigned successful 2022 and served arsenic an Independent until 2024. 

Tim Andrew was among those who turned retired Monday to hear what Cardy had to say.

"He's ever struck maine arsenic idiosyncratic who is independent, prepared to accidental what helium thinks is important," Andrew said. "And I'd similar to perceive that."

When asked astir Cardy's acceptance that helium won't triumph erstwhile votes are counted April 28, Andrew said helium understood.

"You could accidental he's a realist. I mean, to make a caller enactment from scratch? It doesn't hap overnight."

In Fredericton-Oromocto, Cardy is up against Conservative Brian MacDonald and Liberal David Myles. 

He besides faces the NDP's Nicki Lyons-Macfarlane, the Green Party's Pam Allen-LeBlanc, Heather Michaud of the People's Party and June Patterson of the Communist Party.