Election Campaign Reform Introduced
Prince George, B.C.- The Provincial Government has introduced legislation that will change how election campaigns are financed.
Retroactive to May 9th, the Election Amendment Act, 2017, will:
* End corporate and union donations
* Limit individual contributions to $1,200 a year, the second-lowest limit in Canada
* Ban out-of-province donations
* Cap contributions to third-party election advertisers
* Require ongoing public reporting of all fundraisers attended by major party leaders, cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries, including those held in private residences
* Reduce campaign spending limits for candidates and political parties by about 25% to a maximum of $58 thousand per candidate
* Set new fines and penalties for contraventions of election financing and advertising laws
Attorney General David Eby says the changes will “not only end the ‘wild west’ of campaign fundraising, they are an important step in modernizing our democracy.”
Political contributions previously collected that are not allowed under the new rules – including prior donations from unions and corporations or funds collected from a person in excess of $1,200 – cannot be used in future elections.
The reform also includes an allowance for each party ( on a decreasing scale) over the next 5 years provided they received at least 5% of the vote in the constituency in which they ran a candidate. The allowance for 2018 is for $2.50 per vote.
Based on the 2017 election, here is how much taxpayer money will be given to each party in 2018 to help the parties “transition” as the new rules come into play:
Liberals 796,772 votes = $1,991,930.00
NDP 795,106 votes = $1,987,765.00
Green 332,387 votes = $ 830,967.50
In 2019, the allowance will be reduced to $2.25 per vote, then to $2.00 per vote in 2020, and $1.75 per vote in both 2021 and 2022.
Comments
Is this a joke?? Why should the taxpayer be funding political parties?
One other item and I’m sure it was done on purpose. I didn’t see any mention of donations in kind! Such as a Public Service Union donating several of their staff to a political party….that shall remain nameless during an election campaign and picking up the full tab for their related wages and benefits while they are working for the party rather than the union!
I wonder who took advantage of that little tidbit in the last election cycle!
It’s the same for federal elections.. each party gets $ tax payers money per vote..great scam.
The Greens lead the way . The NDP lagged . The liberals are disintegrating . The BC conservatives are looking for a new name . I suggest ” The Leftovers Party ” . When the latter day harperettes and reform party residue slither back over the mountains , that’s all that will be left . The Leftover Party of British Columbia .
ammonra, ammonra, oh ammonra, where are you?
ammonra, Ataloss isn’t being very nice! Ataloss is using mean words. “Latter day harperettes” and “reform party residue” are hurtful terms and they make me sad! Implying that they slither back over the mountains isn’t nice!
Shame on you Ataloss!
Come on ammonra, you tell Ataloss to play nice in the sandbox!
Oh oh, it looks like it’s a case of “Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire” for Horgan!
Mike Smyth: Taxpayers burned in NDP-Green ban on big money – Vancouver Province, September 18, 2017
From the linked article:
“When Premier John Horgan was asked during the election campaign if B.C. taxpayers would be forced to finance political parties, his answer was plain enough.
“Just to be clear,” CHNL radio host Shane Woodford asked Horgan. “There is going to be nothing in there about taxpayers having to fund political parties?”
“That’s correct,” Horgan responded.”
OMG, Horgan’s just another lying politician! Go figure!!
ht tp://theprovince.com/news/bc-politics/mike-smyth-taxpayers-burned-in-ndp-green-ban-on-big-money
Hart Guy..
If you start cut and pasting all of politicians lying to us you have a heck of a job ahead of you ..lol
I think this a great move and long overdue. Its a move towards transparent democracy where voters determine the future and not special interest big donors.
I do wonder about the wording for a 5% threshhold in each constituency for provincial vote funding. It says funding for the party and not the nominee. Does this not discriminate against independents? Why should the funding go to parties? I disagree with the funding going to parties and I think it should go to the candidate first; and if the candidate does not run again then, and only then, should the party be considered for any per vote funding.
The 5% in itself is interesting as a magic number of the left for party list seats in their proposed proportional representation scheme for electing MP’s, which I strongly oppose as a perversion of democracy. This looks to be setting the stage for the next shie to drop….
Leaves open the cash for access, but hey they were still doing it last month in private houses with convicted criminals so why not keep that cash stream going
I am far more concerned that the City of Prince George’s largest union was the largest contributor to most if not all of those currently sitting on council.
As for the changes that Horgan proposes it is a plain case of the green tail wagging an orange dog!
Political parties need funding, that won’t change. It seems that people complain no matter if you suggest the taxpayer foot the bill or private money (corporations or unions). Which is it that people prefer?
If political parties need money, how about selling the John Horgan Bobble Head.
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