Conservative win on the In and Out front

The Conservatives have a win on the In and Out 'scandal.'

I haven't time to read the ruling, but it appears, sadly, that it is now legal for a central campaign to eat up a local campaign's remaining spending limit.


I don't care that this is a win for the Conservatives. I care that this is a lose for local democracy.

Many local campaigns are going to be subject to pressure from central campaigns to hand over a (large) portion of their spending limits, an coercive event which can significantly limit grassroots initiatives. People will point out that the local campaign does not have to agree, but, give me a break. Defy the central party, and bad things happen. I've seen whole riding executives wiped out by central party trickery.

I know that political parties will strive to not shoot their own feet by further limiting the spending of ridings they believe they can win, but local riding associations often have a very different idea of what can be won and what is worth spending money on.

For those of us who believe that riding associations should be the political organs which legitimize political parties, this is just an other yoke around the neck of democracy.


The last thing Canada needs is even more centralized campaigning. People need to hear local voices more, and the sound of self-interested proroguing PMs less.

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Update:

Kady is tweeting:

"have you read the full decision? it's a little less sweeping than i thought."

"it's basically 'unless and until someone is charged and convicted under the elections act, here's what has to happen'"

I''ll try to read it later. Let's hope.

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More update:

And... it still isn't good for local democracy. The Conservatives may still be in trouble with some of their case, but local democracy is still more inder the thumb of central control as a result of this ruling. Accidental Deliberations has the take.