Liberals want to cut Bloc's funds

[Andem]

Liberals ready to discuss cut to Bloc's public funds

OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Paul Martin's Quebec lieutenant, Jean Lapierre, opened the door yesterday to a proposal by young Liberals that would slash the amount of public money paid to the separatist Bloc Québécois.
<snip>

If the Liberal youth proposal were put into effect, it would mean the Bloc would get only 43 cents per vote, rather than the $1.75 that the Liberals, Conservatives, and NDP receive. That idea upsets Bloc members, who say it would literally make their votes worth less than those of other parties.

Source


It's hard to say whether this would be considered fair, but I think it makes a lot of sense that a regional party should only receive less if they are campaigning less. But this also brings up a point that could backfire on the liberals; Quebec voters may get the impression that their votes are worth less.. something the Bloc is GREAT at twisting is words and policies.

I don't think it's fair that a national party like the NDP/Libs/Cons should end up using more of their vote-money while the Bloc doesn't have to really use it for what it's meant for.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Liberals want to cut

It's a ridiculous idea. If the Conservatives don't any seats east of Manitoba next time around, should their funding be cut? Should the Conservatives and NDP suffer cuts for not having any seats in Quebec? Neither party spends as much campaigning in Quebec as other provinces, after all. What about the small parties that don't get any seats?

Every vote, no matter who it is cast for, should be worth $1.75. That money is meant to allow the voices of Canadians to be heard. Quebec is still part of Canada and the BQ deserve equal funding as a result, no matter what you think of their message.

This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to win more Liberal seats by underfunding those who oppose the Liberals.

 

[#juan]

Andem

I have always thought that it is the height of stupidity for the country to finance a political group that is actively working at breaking up the country. It is bad enough that we pay these "MPs" a good salary, let alone pay the stinking party extra money per vote. Any party running in a federal election should be forced to run candidates in every riding in the country. I know I'm ranting here and that nothing is going to change anytime soon. Who do we thank for the Bloc? Mulroney?

 

[Reverend Blair]

Any party running in a federal election should be forced to run candidates in every riding in the country.

So how do you deal with the Greens, CAP, and Marijuana Party then? They are generally too small (although the greens have grown) to be able to run candidates in every riding. They draw a majority of their support from BC, making them de facto regional parties.

The real danger here is that the Liberals will be able to use the distasteful message of the BQ to set a precedent that further stifles political discourse in this country.

 

[#juan]

I know what you mean Rev

But surely we can limit parties with a separatist agenda.

 

[Reverend Blair]

RE: Liberals want to cut

Not without further legitimizing their cause, something that we cannot afford to do politically. We have to treat all parties the same because not to do so would cause a backlash that would garner more support for the BQ.

More than that, I do not trust the Liberals, or the Conservatives for that matter, to not use the precedent once it is set. Both parties know that they lose votes to fringe parties, often in hotly contested ridings.

 

[PoisonPete2]

I know what you mean Rev

But surely we can limit parties with a separatist agenda.

Answer - so we should only fund parties whose platform the current government agrees with. Such is the decline of democracy and the rise of the one party state. If it is the will of the People to dissolve an association, partition should be negotiated.

 

[Shiva]

Mr. Lapierre noted that the Bloc barely collects any money in donations -- members collected only $76,131 from donors in the second quarter of 2005, compared with $4.97-million raised by the Conservatives, $1.8-million collected by the Liberals, and $1.14-million taken in by the NDP.

I'm surprised the BQ collects such a small amount of money considering it's so popular. I wonder how BQ donations compare to PQ donations?

Anyway, I do think there would be a backlash as well. It would rightly anger anyone voting for the BQ- their votes would be worth less, even though they are taxpayers who shoulder the same burden as anyone else. If only a program like the sponsorship program had been instituted without corruption, it could have been the answer to the question of what to do in response to the BQ.

 

[Numure]

Mr. Lapierre noted that the Bloc barely collects any money in donations -- members collected only $76,131 from donors in the second quarter of 2005, compared with $4.97-million raised by the Conservatives, $1.8-million collected by the Liberals, and $1.14-million taken in by the NDP.

I'm surprised the BQ collects such a small amount of money considering it's so popular. I wonder how BQ donations compare to PQ donations?

Anyway, I do think there would be a backlash as well. It would rightly anger anyone voting for the BQ- their votes would be worth less, even though they are taxpayers who shoulder the same burden as anyone else. If only a program like the sponsorship program had been instituted without corruption, it could have been the answer to the question of what to do in response to the BQ.

The BQ collect less money from donations then the PQ does. The PQ is the rich party of Québec, even richer then the Liberals at times. The BQ though, isnt as lucky. Most of the corporations and citizens that fund to PQ, choose to fund the Cons, Libs or NDP on the federal level.

 

[Vitamin C]

Andem

I have always thought that it is the height of stupidity for the country to finance a political group that is actively working at breaking up the country. It is bad enough that we pay these "MPs" a good salary, let alone pay the stinking party extra money per vote.

Political parties are funded by taxes aren't they?

Taxes are given to the government by people aren't they?

Political parties are elected by people, aren't they?

So if people vote and elect a party, and they also pay taxes, why shouldn't their taxes go to the party they voted for?

People really need to get their head around the fact that it's People who give money to the government, and some of those people live in Quebec.....why shouldn't money go to the politicians they elect...

In China, there are political parties who represent people who want to separate from the country (Taiwan, Tibet, etc....). Maybe you think we should do what they do....don't give them money....send them to prison, point nuclear warheads at them.....etc.....

 

[Vitamin C]

Mr. Lapierre said he has not made up his mind on whether there should be changes, but said the issue should certainly be up for grabs. "Has this favoured participation in democracy? I think this is a question we must all ask."

I think he said all that because he wants the youth of the party to be encouraged to be more active, and not because he thinks it is actually an option to be considered.....

I have a hard time believing anyone would seriously consider this.....

 

[Senathos]

Staggering the amount of money that votes are worth would be the most undemocratic thing the Liberals could do. What it is saying is that one persons vote is worth more then anothers, and I guess they dont like independents either.