Federal Candidates Pocket $16.5 Million ... Taxpayers Foot The Bill
OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released an in-depth report detailing candidate expense reimbursements arising from the 1997 federal election. The information was compiled from Elections Canada data. The CTF challenged all eligible candidates to end the practice of taking public money to fund their election campaigns by returning their reimbursement cheques which the majority of eligible candidates have already received.
CTF calculations reveal that 801 candidates from the 1997 election are eligible for $16.5 million in election expense reimbursements. This is equal to an average grant of $20,600 for each candidate. The total cost of subsidizing politicians is up 11 percent from the $14.9 million in reimbursements following the 1993 federal election. The full report along with provincial and constituency breakdowns is available from the CTF Ottawa office.
"Election campaigns are a clash of ideas. They should not be seen as the easy street to free cash," said CTF federal director Walter Robinson. "Simply put, the practice of taxpayers reimbursing campaign expenses must end. It's a welfare program for the political class. Today we're calling on all candidates to show leadership by saying no to this handout and sending the money back."
The Canada Elections Act allows for candidates who receive more than 15% of the vote to have 50% of their election expenses reimbursed. A registered political party, meanwhile, is entitled to a reimbursement of 22.5% of its expenses provided that it receives at least 2% (national total) of the number of valid votes cast during the election or 5% of the number of valid votes cast in the electoral districts in which the party endorsed a candidate.
The CTF plans to release reimbursement numbers for federal parties and other examples of political welfare in the coming weeks.
CTF opposition to election subsidies dates back to the Lortie Commission in 1991. "We said then, as we say now, that it is patently wrong to compel citizens to pay for political views and activities they do not voluntarily support," Robinson added.
"This practice adds to a long list of offensive privileges for politicians: gold-plated pensions, tax-free salary top-ups, and political tax credits that would make any charity green with envy. Canadians want leaders who will put democratic principles before electoral profits. Sadly, leadership is nowhere to be found on this issue," Robinson concluded.
CTF calculations reveal that 801 candidates from the 1997 election are eligible for $16.5 million in election expense reimbursements. This is equal to an average grant of $20,600 for each candidate. The total cost of subsidizing politicians is up 11 percent from the $14.9 million in reimbursements following the 1993 federal election. The full report along with provincial and constituency breakdowns is available from the CTF Ottawa office.
"Election campaigns are a clash of ideas. They should not be seen as the easy street to free cash," said CTF federal director Walter Robinson. "Simply put, the practice of taxpayers reimbursing campaign expenses must end. It's a welfare program for the political class. Today we're calling on all candidates to show leadership by saying no to this handout and sending the money back."
The Canada Elections Act allows for candidates who receive more than 15% of the vote to have 50% of their election expenses reimbursed. A registered political party, meanwhile, is entitled to a reimbursement of 22.5% of its expenses provided that it receives at least 2% (national total) of the number of valid votes cast during the election or 5% of the number of valid votes cast in the electoral districts in which the party endorsed a candidate.
The CTF plans to release reimbursement numbers for federal parties and other examples of political welfare in the coming weeks.
CTF opposition to election subsidies dates back to the Lortie Commission in 1991. "We said then, as we say now, that it is patently wrong to compel citizens to pay for political views and activities they do not voluntarily support," Robinson added.
"This practice adds to a long list of offensive privileges for politicians: gold-plated pensions, tax-free salary top-ups, and political tax credits that would make any charity green with envy. Canadians want leaders who will put democratic principles before electoral profits. Sadly, leadership is nowhere to be found on this issue," Robinson concluded.