Forget coaltions, "treaties", and "agreements to cooperate". We need to establish a SPENDING CAP that ensures a level playing field between parties. Think about it. Parties could only raise up to a certain limit (make it attainable – so maybe 7-10 million), and can only use it in a year – and the advertising portion ONLY during elections. Any monies parties collect over and above the limit is put into public coffers, and money not spent by year’s end is also forfeit.
A spending cap WOULD level the playing field. The voter $1.95 could still be kept and worked into the final cap amount. Our main issue is with the runaway spending on year round advertising by the 1st place party. A cap would at least help control that.
People say the Cons do it “one member/donation at a time”. Bullshit. They have the religious right church machine raising funds for them. It’s like the unions, but not … lol… They are starting from a position of power.
Cap it. It's the logical next step to Chretien's electoral reforms.
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How about this for a wild idea: the Liberal party works on increasing its doner base so they can compete with the Conservatives?
If the Libs were raising $17M and the Cons $10M, you'd want the limit set at $17M.
Remember it waas Jean C who changed the donation rules to stick it to Paul Martin.
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