If For No Other Reason....

The relatively new funding of political election campaigns in Canada through taxpayer-funded allowances reflecting ballots cast for each party, valued at $2 per vote to fund political parties isn't such a great idea, even if its supporters consider it the most democratic way to go. Political parties are capable of raising their own funds from their own supporters. They should be left to do so.

While at first blink it may seem like a good idea to dispense largesse to enable Canadian political parties to relax about raising funds for election campaigns and focus their attention on conducting the campaigns themselves, a closer look should be given to the protocol. Elections Canada already dispenses roughly $29-million in reimbursing for qualifying election expenses.

Is it really all that great an idea to dispense an additional $28-million to match the number of votes each party receives in a campaign? It mightn't actually be all that bad an idea to continue the practise - if it were not for the existence of a province-specific political party whose sole purpose is to battle Confederation on behalf of an independent, sovereigntist Quebec.

Why in the world would Canadian taxpayers be expected to fund a political party intent on (1) extracting all the benefits and funding conceivable through transfer payments and by additional extortion and blackmail to further entitle Quebec, and (2) continue encouraging Quebecois to support the battle for complete independence from Confederation.

We permit a sovereigntist group to sit as a 'nationalist' federal political party which has constituents in one province only. We accord that party full Parliamentary privileges and democratic respect, when it is completely disinterested in the future of Canada, and wholly dedicated to dividing the country. Must we also generously fund that party to enable it to conduct its campaigns?

The Bloc Quebecois depends on the per-vote subsidy for about 50% of its funding. French-Canadian voters reward that party with a majority, sending it back to Parliament, rather than supporting a national federal political party, to maintain their edge and successfully barter for increased privileges. If they're so dedicated to that party, let them fund it with their donations out of their own pockets.

Remove the public subsidy, then the test to challenge the Bloc's complacency and financial integrity would be halfway met. The $2.8-million that the Bloc received after the 2008 election results were in is an affront to Canadians and the values they hold dear. Primarily the wish to hold the country together as a whole, not fragment it as the Bloc is determined to do.