Bill C-24 invites you to pay for political parties
With the stroke of a pen - and a none-too-democratic motion ending parliamentary debate - the federal Liberals have undertaken the single greatest act of reform since parliamentary pages got to wear non-polyester jackets in the House.
Okay. So there hasn't been a whole lot of reform with which to compare.
Still as the Chretien legacy tour heads into its final stretch, the Prime Minister has done what none other has dared before: changed the means by which our political parties are funded.
At first glance, the move seems a political winner. Under Bill C-24, reluctantly passed by many a grumbling Liberal MP by a margin of 172-62 last Wednesday, corporate or union donations to political parties and their candidates are capped at $1,000. Individual citizens would be restricted to parting with $5,000 for favorite political faction. That the public perceives too much influence is gained from unions and businesses with close ties - and loose wallets - to the Liberal party is the rationale for Mr. Chretien's change in electoral practice.
The change indicates no admission of any wrongdoing on the government's part, you understand. Certainly it cannot be said that the federal government has participated in any illicit or unethical practices when it comes to relationships with liberally philanthropic corporate entities.
But if the public may labor under the impression that is the case, then changes that give the appearance of cleaning up our electoral processes can only be good, right?
Maybe not.
On the surface the act looks like political parties will have to work that much harder to raise funds for their own campaigns. This could include things like, oh, say, having ideas and direction in your platform that the average citizen wants to support. It could also require political parties to run much leaner operations; with far fewer dollars available parties would need to become increasingly selective about how they spend their money.
Far be it, however, for political parties - least of all the Liberal Party of Canada - to accept a drastic cut in revenue. Instead of making it more difficult to raise fewer funds, the new legislation will permit parties to get funds from taxpayers via the federal budget.
Each political party running in the federal election will be entitled to funding from Elections Canada. The amount each party will receive will be based on their share of the vote in the previous federal election.
Guess that rules out any new competition.
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