Article content

Athletes seek it. Why wouldn’t politicians try and do the same?

The little things that can help a party gain an edge in a campaign where every vote really did count this time.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Dermod Travis: B.C.'s shady world of election spending Back to video

Those edges run the gamut from a sudden desire to visit every region of the province on government business while simultaneously holding party fundraisers to bombarding TV viewers with government ads underscored with “uplifting music.”

Ever wonder why B.C. political parties need so much cash?

To see if they can hit the province’s spending limits.

It doesn’t get much attention, but in keeping with B.C.’s Wild West political culture, there are a few anomalies between the province’s limits and pretty well every other jurisdiction that has caps in place.

At the federal level, candidate limits are set taking the number of voters into account and any special geographic considerations.

Thumbing its nose at such convention, the limit in B.C. is the same in all 87 ridings: $77,674.