Posts Tagged ‘political subsidies’
Harper promises to end per-vote taxpayer subsidy to political parties
Conservative leader Stephen Harper repeated earlier promises to cancel per-vote taxpayer subsidies to political parties, but only if he wins a majority government.
Harper prorogues Parliament, makes appeal to federalists
Prime Minister Harper has asked the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until January 26 when the government will present an early budget.
The move delays the government’s likely defeat until it faces a confidence vote on their new Throne Speech.
Harper invited input on the budget from the NDP and Liberals, saying only Canada’s three federalist parties can be trusted to act in Canada’s interests.
The Bloc has every legitimate right to be here, but their game is not about working on the economy to serve the greater interests of the country.
The do have a fundamentally different agenda, and that’s not the agenda of the other three of us … I think that’s a more fundamental difference than whether you are a little more for the market, or a little more interventionist.
- Stephen Harper
The coalition leaders Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Stéphane Dion said they will not support the government, saying its Harper who cannot be trusted.
McKay Political Cartoons: Cracks in coalition starting to show
Harper dares Dion to face voters
Stephen Harper fights for the survival of his government in a heated session of Question Period.
Related Videos:
- Video: Social democrats unite to topple government (December 1, 2008)
- Video: Opposition parties move to seize power (November 28, 2008)
- Video: Government faces defeat over cuts to political subsidies (November 27, 2008)
Social democrats unite to topple government
The leaders of the Liberal Party, NDP, and the Bloc Québécois signed a power sharing agreement and announced their plan to defeat the Conservative government in a confidence vote December 8.
The coalition says they must seize power from Stephen Harper in order to implement a larger economic stimulus package than the Conservative plan.
The political parties have written to Governor General Michaëlle Jean asking her to install Stéphane Dion as Prime Minister instead of calling an election.
Opposition parties move to seize power
The New Democrats, Bloc Québécois and Liberal Party are working to form a social democratic coalition that would topple the Conservatives and replace them as government.
Related videos:
- Video: Government faces defeat over cuts to political subsidies (November 27, 2008)
- Video: Harper’s deficit flip-flop (October 7 to November 25. 2008)
Government faces defeat over cuts to political subsidies
Canada’s opposition parties are threatening to defeat the Conservative government over cuts to political party subsidies included in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s economic update.
Flaherty says the federal budget will go into deficit after accounting for the planned economic stimulus spending agreed by the G-20 nations.
We cannot ask Canadians to tighten their belts during tougher times without looking in the mirror. Canadians have a right to look to government as an example. We have a responsibility to show restraint and respect for their money. Canadian tax dollars are precious … Today, our Government is eliminating the $1.75-per-vote taxpayer subsidy for politicians and their parties, effective April 1, 2009.
- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty
Conservative’s Q2 fundraising tops all other parties combined
The Conservative Party continues to dominate political fundraising in the second quarter of 2008, collecting 65% of the total fundraising dollars, more than all other political parties combined.
The Conservatives are also the only political party to raise more money from their own efforts than from taxpayer subsidies.
Contributions to Political Parties
(2008 Q2)
| Conservative |
Liberal | NDP | Green | Bloc | |
| Total number of contributors | 33,833 | 9,556 | 11,941 | 3,184 | 607 |
| Total amount of contributions | $3,525,352 | $912,378 | $711,637 | $213,922 | $36,698 |
| Transfers from registered associations | 0 | $9,556 | $1,095 | $5,249 | $90 |
| Transfers from candidates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Transfers | 0 | $67,158 | $352 | $6,592 | $62 |
| Grand Total | $3,525,352 | $979,536 | $711,732 | $219,171 | $36,851 |
| Average Contribution | $104.20 | $95.48 | $59.59 | $67.19 | $60.45 |
| Percent of Total | 65.3% | 16.9% | 13.2% | 4.0% | 0.7% |
The Liberal Party failed to attract as many donars as the New Democratic Party but received more total donations due to higher average individual contributions.
The NDP continued its recent fundraising success, attracting donations from more people than the Liberal Party, while the Green Party’s donations remained steady.
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