The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is demanding an end to per-vote subsidies for political parties in BC..“This money from the per-vote subsidy is not for the functioning of Elections British Columbia,” Kris Sims, BC Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation told a legislative committee..“What this money goes to is political parties. It goes to political parties to enact their partisan behaviours. We want to be clear. We don’t care if it’s the BC NDP, BC Liberal Party, BC Greens, the Conservatives or, frankly, the Flying Monkey Party. Taxpayers’ money should not be going to political parties at all.”.Politicians are snatching roughly $30 million from taxpayers for lawn signs and attack ads, and now they want more, according to Sims, who provided a list of examples of what $30 million can do if directed elsewhere, some of which include:.The full time salary for 50 new paramedics for ten years in BCThe full time salary for about 115 long term care workers for five years in BCThe rent of a two bedroom basement suite, with a bathroom and in suit laundry, for a year, for roughly 1,600 people in Metro VancouverThe average annual ICBC insurance costs for more than 17,000 BC driversThe average income tax bill for the entire population of Osoyoos, for one year.Setting up war rooms and email spam are more examples of where the money is really going, Sims told the committee..“To be very clear, this is not good value for taxpayers’ money.”.According to Sims, political parties in BC already receive a “generous tax credit,” exceeding what registered charities receive..“To give you an example, political parties give a 75% tax credit in BC, for the first $100 donated to them. That means if you donate $100 to Acme Political Party in BC, you get a tax credit for $75. To give you an example of what that looks like, compared to charities, a $100 donation to Ronald McDonald house gets a tax credit of just over $20, whereas a $100 donation to a political party gets a tax credit of $75,” said Sims..“You can get out there and earn money for your parties and your campaigns yourselves. People will follow you,” Sims concluded before the Chair called for questions..“She’s provided the perspective of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation,” said the Green party’s Adam Olsen in response to Sims remarks..“It is in stark contrast to what we’ve heard a lot of from academics with respect to our democracy, our democratic institutions and political parties role in the quality of our democracy and, as well, … in terms of creating a more equitable political institution of governance in the province..“I’m just wondering if maybe Ms. Sims has any comments with respect to some of the testimony that we’ve heard around those particular areas.”.“If folks, for example, want to get as they call ‘big money’ out of politics, whether that’s big corporations on one side or big unions, as they call them, on the other side…. That’s your prerogative. Go for it,” replied Sims..“Our issue is that taxpayers money shouldn’t be going to political parties. Again, we don’t care if it’s the hardest-core right wing or the hardest-core left wing or the fun folks in the middle, taxpayers money shouldn’t be going to partisan activities.”.Reid Small is a BC correspondent for the Western Standard.,.rsmall@westernstandardonline.com
