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Photo by Photo by Blair Gable / PostmediaOntario Premier Doug Ford and his PC party have taken some heat lately for squandering taxpayer-supported political donations, and rightly so. It’s difficult to justify spending $3,000 to snoop on Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie in Jamaica. Then there was the revelation that some cabinet ministers’ riding associations spent thousands of dollars on lavish dinners, and even an axe-throwing event.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe real scandal, though, is the way Ontario political parties enrich themselves at taxpayers’ expense at levels that are out of sync with what’s happening in the rest of the country.The National Post newsletter that doesn’t hold back, giving readers the unvarnished truth on media, politics and culture.By signing up, you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Right? will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againIn defending the Jamaica adventure, Ford referred repeatedly to “the party’s money,” but every dollar the party receives is subsidized by the public, whether it’s through a donor tax credit or a per-vote payment.Ontario has one of the highest political donation limits in the country, the most generous tax treatment for donors, and the highest per-vote subsidy.Donor contributions to federal parties are limited to $1,775. In Ontario, the limit is $5,000. Ford raised the figure from $3,400 last year. Why do Ontario politicians require so much more money in ridings that are identical to federal ridings?Ontario’s tax treatment of political donations is also out of step with the federal amounts. The feds cap political donation tax credits at $650 and the amount is non-refundable. Ontario’s tax credit limit is $1,698 and it’s fully refundable. Even if you owe no tax, you still get cash back.Ontario’s tax credit for political donors is markedly more substantial than any other province. Manitoba and Alberta have $1,000 tax credit limits, but most provinces range from $500 to $650.Quebec leads the way on keeping tax dollars out of the hands of provincial politicians. It has no political contribution tax credit, limits donations to $100 and pays parties based on donations, to a maximum of $250,000 per party.At least with tax credits, someone has to donate their own money, even if they do get a good chunk of it back. That’s not the case with Ontario’s pay-per-vote system, the other main source of political funding. It provides automatic quarterly payments to parties based on their performance in the most recent election.Back in 2018, Ford campaigned against such payments, which had been brought in by the provincial Liberals the previous year. At the time, he said, “I do not believe the government should be taking money from hard-working taxpayers and giving it to political parties. Corporate welfare is wrong, and political party welfare is equally wrong; I will put an end to both.”Ford’s batting 0 for 2 there, but at least political welfare is cheaper than corporate welfare.Like many welfare recipients, Ford subsequently found himself dependent on the payments. The idea of free money without doing any work has a certain allure. After years of extending them temporarily, he made the per-vote payments permanent last year.Attorney General Doug Downey said the per-vote subsidy ensures “a balance of public and private spending in elections.” He must have meant a balance between money coming out of your right and left pockets.Again, Ontario is out of step with much of the country. The federal government does not give pay-per-vote payments. Only Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Quebec pay such allowances.Quebec’s $250,000 per party limit is pocket change compared to what Ontario parties get. This year, the PCs will collect $5.5 million in taxpayers’ money, the Liberals $3.8 million and the NDP almost $2.4 million.The other provinces with per-vote subsidies all provide significantly less than Ontario does.Ontario politicians’ unparalleled generosity to political parties ought to come with enhanced accountability. That’s why Ford’s comments about “the party’s money” and his suggestion that reporters should talk to the party are so off base.Once you accept the public’s money, you lose the right to talk about “the party’s money.” Even if it were the party’s money, Ford is still the leader of the party. That would suggest he’s the person to talk to about how it’s spent, not some party functionary.One could make a case for per-vote public subsidies or for a system reliant on donors. It’s difficult to argue that both are necessary, especially when the vote subsidy and the political tax credit are so generous.It would be nice to think that some electable party would stop fleecing taxpayers, but it’s unlikely. They all benefit from the existing rules, and no one benefits more than the party in power, the one that would have to make the change.As Ford has already demonstrated, a promise to limit politicians’ access to the trough is easily trumped by naked self-interest.Randall Denley is an Ottawa journalist and author. Contact him at randalldenley1@gmail.com Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.