The Conservatives have started early on their advertising campaign for the upcoming election. We are, for example, being told ad nauseam that Justin Trudeau isn’t ready. With their large war chest, the Conservatives can afford to lay it on thick. But they’re not only relying on their own funds, they
Continue readingTag: election funding
Buying Calgay’s civic election with a little help from Preston Manning
Alberta’s election funding rules are notoriously weak. Those applying to municipal elections are no exception. The essentials can easily be summarized: no spending limits, contributions limited to $5,000 a year (the candidate may contribute up to $10,000 of his own funds), and the candidate must file a disclosure statement of
Continue readingWildrose has this one right
To say I rarely agree with the Wildrose Party would be an understatement. Yet they have recently stated a policy which I heartily support and have heartily supported for a long time. Party leader Danielle Smith reported this week that her party wants Alberta’s election financing laws to ban donations
Continue readingHas Mr. Katz done Alberta democracy a favour?
Alberta has the laxest election funding rules in the country, rules designed to favour the rich. Toward the end of this spring’s election campaign, billionaire Daryl Katz nicely illustrated this corruption of democracy when he provided a cheque for $430,000 to the Conservatives, almost a third of the party’s total
Continue readingAlberta universities make illegal donations to Conservatives
Oh my, even the universities are doing it. According to the CBC, a number of Alberta’s post-secondary institutions, including Athabasca University and the University of Lethbridge, have been donating to the provincial Conservatives. They have joined those municipalities and counties that have been donating to the Tories for years. All
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