Permanent Cap

The national campaign spending limit exists to stop political parties from buying their way into office. It is supposed to level the playing field for all parties during an election and to ensure, in the words of the Supreme Court, that “no one voice is overwhelmed by another.”

But this law is easily circumvented by well-off political parties who simply spend their excess money in the months leading up to the election campaign. The governing party benefits the most since the prime minister still has the right to choose when an election will take place.

We should therefore move to install a permanent cap on the spending of political parties. This limit would be set low enough to put all parties on an equivalent financial footing, but leave room for them to run day-to-day operations, to consult with Canadians, and to deliver their message. Let’s not forget that, regardless of the spending limit, elections always produce a winner. Some are fairer though, and some see less money go from the pocket of concerned Canadians into the coffers of ad agencies and polling companies.