Quote:
Originally Posted by Azure
Elections should be publicly funded, IMO. I hate it that the Conservative government here in Canada is reversing that. I have no problem with the parties using taxpayer money to run the campaign, provided it is done in an effective and efficient manner.
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They still are to a significant extent through a couple of programs:
1) Electoral Expense Reimbursement
Gives back parties 50% of what parties spend in an election provided they get 2% of the popular vote nationally; gives back candidates 60% of what they spend provided they get 5% of the vote in their riding.
2) Political donations are 75% Tax Credits
For every dollar paid to a political party through a donation, the government pays $.75 back to the donor. The net result is the donor gives 1$ to a party which is matched by 3$ from the public purse.
So, with these two programs, the funding for elections is 87.5% public and 12.5% private at a party level and 90% public at an individual candidate level.