September 7, 2008 | In Politics |
As Canada’s leading political parties scrambled to kick off the federal election campaign on a high note, the libertarian-oriented Freedom Party of Canada issued a short press release earlier today, attacking current campaign finance laws, which force voters to fund established parties.
“Under Canada’s relatively new political party welfare system, every ballot cast for Canada’s larger political parties gives them a guaranteed $1.75 per year”, commented Paul McKeever, leader of the Freedom Party, which will not be able to run candidates this election cycle due to “objectionable changes to party registration and finance laws,” according to the party’s website.
“Feeling compelled to vote for the lesser of evils, many Canadians vote for parties they do not like,” McKeever added, noting that political funding should come from voluntary contributions, not government-mandated subsidies. “When political parties are funded voluntarily by voters, they serve voters. When they are funded by the government, they serve the government.”
McKeever is correct of course, in pointing out that funding parties based on the number of votes they receive is a recipe for maintaining the established order, and preventing small, grassroots-oriented parties from gaining a voice in government.
I have believed for some time, however, that the issue goes much deeper than that, and that the current policy of funding parties on a per-vote basis is Constitutionally problematic.
Section 3 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, after all, states that “every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of the members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly.” Given that voting is a Constitutionally-protected right, it shouldn’t be something that we’re forced to pay for. Over and above the basic administrative costs of conducting an election, voting should be free.
If the government were to set up a toll booth at every polling station and force each voter to fork over $7 (that is $1.75 x four years), would that be Constitutional? I doubt it. It would certainly run contrary to the spirit of Section 3 of the Charter.
So why should taxpayers be forced to collectively shoulder the same burden? Canada seems to be governed on the assumption that forcing individuals to pay for things individually (i.e. user fees) is morally wrong or exploitative, while collectivizing that same exploitative burden is completely acceptable.
In my view, spending that is not absolutely necessary for the maintenance and security of a free and democratic society should be both individualized and voluntary.
If you support a political party then by all means, send them $7, or send them $700. But don’t expect taxpayers to fund your party of choice, via an involuntary poll tax.
