Rod Taylor - CHP Deputy Leader

In recent years, a series of ever-more-brazen scandals have rocked the financial world. The 1995 collapse of the Barings Bank came about through the careless and fraudulent gambling on derivatives by one of its futures traders in Singapore, Nick Leeson. The collapse of corporate giant Enron—that began with the unmasking of major corporate fraud in 2001— shocked business leaders and investors alike and ruined many of them. The series of indictments of previously-respected industry giants that followed brought shame to Wall Street and cynicism to the man in the street.

The flaunting of power and the arrogant disrespect for shareholders and the laws of the land are seen by all citizens as a betrayal of the values we all share. Although most business dealings today are confirmed by multiple signatures and not by a handshake, this has not stopped the spread of manipulative and deceitful business practices now almost epidemic in frequency and scope.

Meanwhile, in Ottawa, our most prominent national leaders are gambling on the future of Canada and they’re using our money to do it. It is a high stakes game but the deck is stacked in favour of the “House.” Each of the party leaders is trying to put his “spin” on the dice. Putting on his best “poker face” he explains to television audiences in endless variations-on-a-theme why it is not his party that’s pushing for an early election but the other fellow’s. Meanwhile, the critical issues plaguing the nation—catastrophic deficits, loss of morality in public policy, runaway courts—are like abandoned children wailing in the backseat of a locked car, waiting for their irresponsible guardians to play out their “addiction.” Everyone knows–with a groaning remembrance of last October’s unnecessary and fixed-term-defying election—that a return to the polls would be a nationally exhausting exercise, one which would cost taxpayers another $300 million.

But that’s just the beginning! The money spent on staffing Elections Canada offices and sending out multiple notices to voters and candidates, etc. (by now almost an annual ritual) is only part of the cost. That will be followed by the return (also from taxpayers’ pockets) of 60% of the cost of each and every campaign where the candidate earned at least 10% of the votes. Then, don’t forget, the parties themselves (all who are a part of the privileged status quo) must be repaid for 50% of their election costs—TV ads, signs and schmoozing. And finally, every year until the next election, those same parties will pull in $1.95 per vote (yup, more of your money) to spend on future campaigns. Did I mention that voters are becoming apathetic and cynical about the whole process?

Add to this the loss of national productivity, the distraction from Parliament’s real work and the inevitable bribing of taxpaying citizens with their own money through promises that may or may not be kept, and it’s no wonder the Canadian voter has lost interest.

It is painfully evident, with each passing quarterly pay-out, that power-hungry politicians would think twice about the extravagant and risky business of prodding each other into another unnecessary election if they had to pay the bills themselves.

When almost 50% of voters stay home on Election Day, it’s clear that Canada needs to restore the integrity of our electoral system and re-earn the trust of voters. Cutting the party subsidies would be the place to start. We’ve eliminated corporate and union donations, now it’s time to get the parties off the “government dole.” The CHP—the 6th-largest federal party in Canada—has never received campaign subsidies nor the per-vote subsidy.

Our members continue to help us grow by their voluntary contributions, even after they’ve had their pockets picked by involuntary donations to the “Big Five”. The CHP would put decision-making back into the hands of taxpayers and voters. Political parties forced to raise their own funds would be less tempted to gamble on another election and more likely to focus on the issues of importance to Canadians.

For CHP’s “Better Solutions” visit www.chp.ca.

Category: CHP Communiqués
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