If you鈥檝e enjoyed hearing about how some senators live high off public money, you will be absolutely delighted to learn how candidates and political parties for Parliament are spending your dollars on their campaigns.
Except that political parties don鈥檛 have to tell how they spent the money. We just have to take their word for it.
It鈥檚 bad enough that candidates can get reimbursement for up to 60 per cent of their campaign expenses, but at least they have to produce receipts or other documents. Parties can be reimbursed for 50 per cent of their campaign costs 鈥� up to $54.5 million for each party for this election 鈥� without being required to submit any proof or documentation.
Rubbing a little more salt in the taxpayer鈥檚 wounds, you get a much better tax break for political donations than you do charitable donations, so the deck is already stacked in favour of politicians.
Chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand is urging a new law that requires political parties to submit documentation for campaign expenses.
It鈥檚 disappointing that such a requirement does not already exist; it鈥檚 disgusting that the 鈥渉onourable members鈥� somehow see themselves as being above standard accounting practices.
And while we鈥檙e changing laws, let鈥檚 do away with plundering the public treasury to pay for campaign buses, election signs, attack ads and candidate buttons.
Donations to political campaigns should be voluntary, not compulsory.
