Conservative Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty, is proposing the elimination public campaign financing. The Minister is expected to announce that he is withholding the $1.95 that the government pays political parties for each vote they receive. The cut is expected to significantly hinder Canada’s opposition parties.
Yes, the federal campaign finance system is quite suboptimal and there are much better systems that could be put in place (particularly for electoral reform). However, the current campaign finance system is better than nothing — and nothing is what the Conservatives hope to leave Canadians with.
Unless a better system is put in place, we need the current system to be maintained.
Please call your MP today to protest this attack on Canadian democracy.
Contact the opposition parties in Parliament and ask them to vote this down, even if it means bringing down the government.
Contact the media to let them know you think this is an important story and that you oppose the cut.
If you’re on Facebook, you can join the group I Support Public Campaign Financing.
democracy, Canada, Conservative, Conservative Party, politics, political, funding, finance, anti-democratic, evil, .
More than a month later (sorry), I have finally posted a detailed overview, analysis and commentary on the issues around the 2008 AGM of the Green Party of Alberta.
The issues coming out of the AGM mess (including the contradictory statements of who is the leader of the party, and who forms the party executive), remain unresolved. It’s my guess that it will get pushed to the courts which is a “very bad thing” in my view.
I’ve also posted a bunch of background documents, including some of the emails that went around from the various sides in the issues, and links to all sorts of related information, articles and documents.
Alberta Greens, Green Party of Alberta, GPA, green party, greens, Alberta, politics, 2008 AGM.