Tories would take biggest hit by ending campaign subsidy: Pallister

Brian Pallister argues he's hurting his party more than any other by proposing an end to a public subsidy for political campaign expenses. 

Manitoba's premier chose to speak out Monday in response to criticism that doing away with the rebate discourages poorer parties and candidates from running for election. 

"I am refuting this assertion so profoundly today because it is wrong," Pallister told reporters at the Manitoba Legislature.

He insisted the Progressive Conservatives were relinquishing their upper-hand by giving up a rebate of 50 per cent of general election expenses. The party is eligible for more money back because they spend more.

The idea was tucked into an omnibus budget bill, which was introduced in the legislature last week. 

Pallister said it wasn't fair his party was pocketing more than anybody else, nearly $1 million in the last provincial election, when any party or candidate who did not receive at least 10 per cent of the popular vote — an "imaginary threshold" — did not qualify for the rebate. 

Tories unfairly benefitting, Pallister says

"Why should the other candidates get something back, and these people don't?" Pallister asked.

"What this will do is eliminate that two-tiered system that gives an advantage to the larger parties that have the larger budgets. It takes that advantage away and it levels the playing field as best they can."

He added Manitoba taxpayers shouldn't be financing the activities of political parties.

Pallister's government already cut the per-vote rebate to political parties, shortly after entering office in 2016, but has maintained the refund on political donations. He said he has no plans to eliminate the latter reimbursment. 

His party has been in the habit of asking for help, since it began to refuse the per-vote subsidy while in opposition, he said.

"The same way Manitobans have to work for their [money,] we have to work for ours," Pallister said. "That is how political parties and political movements have always functioned and hopefully always will."

'He's a real martyr'

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont wasn't buying the argument that Pallister was thinking of other parties before itself. 

"He's a real martyr," he joked.

Lamont said the Tories are being hypocritical if they're still keeping a big rebate for their donors, while leaving lower-income people subject to campaign debts they cannot repay. 

"This is basically, in my point of view, a way for this government to try and create a permanent Conservative majority by messing with private financing in order to drive, or attempt to drive, their opponents out of existence."

NDP Leader Wab Kinew said last week the change will likely be another barrier to women and people in marginalized groups who want to enter politics.

"Some people feel like they don't have access to the same networks or the same donor pool," he said.