Party and electino financing

Question 1

What is the election expense act (1974)

Answer 1

A act that requires political parties to to file expense declarations and audited annual reports. Designed to improve integrity, equity and participation. Also to reduce corruption

Question 2

Name some loopholes in EEA

Answer 2

No ceiling on donation amounts or restrictions on source of funds
EEA only controls spending during election campaigns
Government free to engage in pre-election spending for partisan purposes
Revenue and expenditure escalation

Question 3

What is money spent on?

Answer 3

Advertising
Consultants
Full-time fundraising
Voter surveys and polls
Websites and literature

Question 4

What was bill C-24?

Answer 4

Chretien’s ‘legacy package’ includes tougher regulations on money in politics
All donations limited to $5000 or less
Annual public subsidies for parties who win at least 2% of national vote
Maximum tax credit for individual donations raised
Spending limits for ”interest groups”

Question 5

What is the ‘Quebec sponsorship program’ scandal?

Answer 5

Federal government issues advertising contracts in return for ‘in-kind’ contributions to the Liberal Party (a kickback scheme)
Salaries of party workers paid by ad agencies who received gov’t contracts (for which no work was done)
Undocumented cash payments results in criminal convictions for a number of individuals with Liberal Party connections

Question 6

What is the populist model of party financing?

Answer 6

Harper government legislates outright ban on corporate & union donations and leader trust funds
Individual contributions lowered to $1000 annually; cash donations prohibited
Fixed election dates introduced (every 4 years)
5-year lobbying ban on former cabinet ministers
Populist finance regime: financing regime based exclusively on small individual donations