In a recent economic update, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that Federal political parties will no longer receive the $2 per vote funding. While this seems to be a tactic to weaken the opposition parties, and it may be, it is a responsible fiscal action by the Conservative Government. Yes, the Liberals, NDP, and Bloc could complain that it is a so call trampling on democracy, but I say, why should my hard earned tax dollars go to parties I don’t support? Clearly, it shouldn’t.
If political parties need the money, then they should go to their grassroots, to their supporters, and to corporations that share their ideals and ask them for money. Simple as that. If the Government is brought down and even if there is no election, it would still cost the taxpayers for the change in “management”. I say that we keep this government alive until 2012 when their term expires or before that if the economy recuperates.
Come now, you have to realise that not all of the parties have the same financial support at the ‘grassroots’. Compare to the Greens, for instance. People vote for them, so they have support. However, a large number of their supporters are students. Students do not necissarily have the money to support a political party with. So removing this funding essentially hampers any effort parties which fight for the support of the less affluent sectors of society. Is that really democratic?
Never mind that this is the only thing we have which lessens the effect of vote wasting. For example, if you are a Conservative in downtown Toronto, you can vote Conservitave but that seat is probably going Liberal. So your vote is meaningless, except that right now it gives the political party you chose $1.95. It encourages people to vote for the party of their choice, no matter who is likely to win in a given riding.