Alberta taxpayers could help foot the bill for provincial election campaign costs through an overhaul of election financing proposed by an NDP MLA.
Edmonton-Ellerslie MLA Rod Loyola has proposed candidates and parties that receive at least 10 per cent of the vote would have their campaign expenses subsidized 50 per cent by the provincial government.
It’s a move Foothills MLAs and opposition parties say is too rich.
Loyola said money plays too big a role in the democratic process and his proposal would level the playing field. He said existing rules that allow individuals to give $15,000 to a political party and double in an election year, are too high. Loyola said one proposal would drop limits to $4,000.
“I’m not sure the last time you checked, but not every Albertan can afford that kind of money,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is we’re trying to make it level and fair.”
His proposal follows the NDP government’s earlier move to eliminate corporate and union donations and it’s part of a broader package to reform election financing in Alberta, including limits on individual donations and campaign spending.
“All this would make it so that all political parties could compete in an election, it would be more fair, more transparent and those are the objectives at the end of the day – transparency and fairness,” he said.
Loyola said there are already similar rules in place in seven other provinces and at the federal level. As well, he said Albertans already subsidize parties through tax credits to the tune of $11.1 million between 2011 and 2014.
The committee for ethics and accountability is reviewing the Alberta Elections Act, as well as the Elections Financing and Disclosure Act.
“Now’s the time where we have the ability to review the act and make suggestions for changes as we move forward,” said Loyola.
The committee will produce a report on the proposal to present to the legislature for consideration and there will still be opportunity for debate.
“That’s the number one thing people have to understand, these are still recommendations for consideration,” said Loyola. “Nothing is set in stone.”
Loyola said there is no way to calculate a cost until the Province sets spending limits for campaigns.
“It’s tough to get a number on that because until those other issues are deliberated on, I can’t give you a final number,” he said.
Highwood MLA Wayne Anderson voted against the proposal in the committee.
He said taxpayers should not be paying campaign expenses for individual candidates and political parties. He said Alberta is in its worst recession in 20 years and it’s not prudent to put taxpayer dollars toward election expenses.
Anderson is concerned the government hasn’t looked at the cost.
“There’s a pattern here… Typically, there’s no business plan or cost-benefit analysis,’ he said.
Anderson said the Wildrose Party has pegged $700 million to $900 million, but Loyola countered any estimates at this stage would be incorrect.
With the NDP’s majority, Anderson said he believes the party could push the proposal through.
“My concern is that if the NDP really want this, and I think they do, with their majority they’ll vote in favour of it in the legislature starting in October, November before Christmas,” he said.
Anderson said the NDP is looking for a source on money to catch up to other parties that have been able to raise more dollars in donations.
“I think what the NDP Party is trying to do is seek additional recapitalization for their campaign for 2019,” he said.
Calling the proposal “crazy,” Livingstone-Macleod MLA Pat Stier said it’s unfair for taxpayers to pay for a candidate’s campaign expenses.
“There may be a lot of people out there who think it’s a great idea, but they’re from a different point of view than I am,” he said. “I’m dead against that.”
