Mr. Harper, the Subsidy to Political Parties is a Voice for Canadians, Please Reconsider Your Cut

Dear Mr. Harper, Mr. Flaherty, and Mr. Preston,

I am deeply concerned about your proposed cut of the subsidy to Canadian federal political parties.

While I understand this cut affects all parties, it is particularly harmful to fledgling political parties, such as the Green Party which received 6.8% of the popular vote in this year’s election. Canadians are speaking through the popular vote, but this vote is not adequately represented in the current first-past-the-post electoral system. As you know, the subsidy gives $1.95 for each vote to a political party. It is a minimal resource, allowing new parties some voice in representing the Canadians who voted for them. It is one important way to balance the electoral system with proportional representation.

The cut to the subsidy is being proposed as a measure to help in the current economic crisis. In the election campaign, the Green Party put forward some of the most innovative economic ideas of all the parties. While you may not agree with all of their ideas, in this time of economic crisis it is vital to hear and debate new ideas. This diversity is essential to solving our economic problems.

The subsidy is an investment in democracy, and that is important in good and bad fiscal times. Please reconsider your cut. Mr. Preston, as my Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, I trust you will follow up with this concern with Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty.

Respectfully,

John Miedema

Letter delivered by email with my contact information. Recipients notified that the letter was reposted here and at my personal blog, http://johnmiedema.ca

Mr. Harper, the Subsidy to Political Parties is a Voice for Canadians, Please Reconsider Your Cut