Bad Law Makes Us All Pay

Summary


This week we had spectacular news. There was a forcible entry to the national headquarters of a national political party. It wasn't done by a clumsy plumbers' gang acting under the direction of Richard Nixon surrogates who broke in to Democratic Party headquarters in the Washington Watergate Hotel. This led to jail terms and the ultimate resignation of President Richard Nixon.

The perpetrators off this modern break-in were much more sophisticated. They were the RCMP and what they did was perfectly legal and authorized by a judicial warrant. They have no risk comparable to the Watergate crew. What terrible crime are they investigating? Some years ago misguided parliamentarians passed ill-advised laws purporting to limit the amount that political parties can spend during election campaigns. Since that time every political party has had special consultants whose sole responsibility is to devise methods of circumventing these laws.

It was the New Democrats who were in the forefront of seeking public financing of election campaigns and limits to election contributions. That party claimed that its lack of success was attributable to the disparity in finances with the free enterprise parties. The NDP and its predecessor elected governments in Saskatchewan. Manitoba and British Columbia without public financing. Their performance on the national scene has not improved although they now also receive millions of dollars a year. They still lose.

See the full content of this document

Extract


Bad Law Makes Us All Pay

Election spending rules do more harm than good

Sidney Green

This week we had spectacular news. There was a forcible entry to the national headquarters of a national political party. It wasn't done by a clumsy plumbers' gang acti...

See the full content of this document

Sponsored links




ver las páginas en versión mobile | web

ver las páginas en versión mobile | web

© Copyright 2012, vLex. All Rights Reserved.

Contents in vLex Canada

Explore vLex

For Professionals

For Partners

Company