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Cyr is right. People who make political contributions receive a break on their taxes, so the public is already subsidizing the operations of the parties and their candidates.

Said Cyr: “How can we move forward with this — something that dramatically changes how our entire system works — without consulting Albertans?”

Actually, there is no need to consult with Albertans. This idea is such a non-starter it should be dismissed as quickly as possible by Notley and her ministers.

The bigger problem is the appearance that the NDP wants to tinker with the electoral system for its own advantage. A separate NDP proposal, for example, would limit campaign spending to about $1.6 million per party. It’s a one-size-fits-all approach that would put a straitjacket on democracy.

The fact is the NDP isn’t winning the fundraising stakes. Year-to-date records posted by Elections Alberta show that the Wildrose party and its constituency associations raised $1,046,060 in the first six months of this year, compared to the NDP’s total of $761,668 and $212,898 for the Conservatives. A united party of the right would likely eclipse the NDP even further when it comes to donations.

It isn’t a stretch to conclude the NDP wants to first limit the amount that better financed parties and candidates can spend on an election campaign, then rely on public handouts — electoral welfare, if you will — to buoy its own war chest.

Instead of trying to remake the system by using its majority, the NDP would be better advised to focus on issues such as Alberta’s poor job numbers and shabby public finances. If it did that, it might not have to worry about controlling how much is spent during an election and relying on taxpayer subsidies.