Column: Show me the money

So, if you want to be Prime Minister of Canada for what appears to be just a few weeks, it will cost you. 

When we ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, most don’t pick Prime Minister of Canada from that list. Now, it’s probably for the best they don’t. 

It’s not as prestigious as doctors and lawyers nor as selfless as various first responders.

When done well, the position is hardly noticed or written about. However, if you have more scandals than “wins,” you become the bane of many’s existence—see our current PM as example numero uno. 

Candidates must pay $350,000 to be considered for this position, a significant increase from the $75,000 entrance fee for the last Liberal leadership race. Whether chosen or not, you risk paying that price to become a mere historical footnote. Kim Campbell, anyone?

So where does that money go?

During the 2021 election campaign, they spent around $27 million to win. 

The money was used for various purposes, including advertising, salaries and benefits, consultants, travel, and even a voter contact calling service. 

So, what advice should we have for little Johnny or Jenny when they ask how to become a Liberal Prime Minister? Connect with the right people, carry a bleed-red family name, or bring money—in most cases, you need all three.

It’s not just about joining a party and volunteering anymore. Making a name for yourself and becoming a possible candidate probably doesn’t get you there anymore. 

Getting elected as a backbencher for any party means towing the party line and putting in your service in Ottawa. It means trying to fight for scraps for your riding by talking to members of your party who have the ear of the man in charge. If you are part of the ruling party, that is. 

Quid pro qou has been alive and well in the halls of Ottawa since bribery allegations were lobbied against Sir John A. McDonald in 1873 regarding the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Today, ArriveCAN, SNC Lavalin and WE charity to highlight over a dozen examples from the Trudeau
Liberals. 

I use the Liberals as the piñata du jour, but realistically, all the parties are the same. How else can you explain the rise of Pierre Poilievre, a man who’s never held a blue-collar job? How does he get to where he’s potentially going? Good ideas, or is it just being a tow-the-line soldier for the past two decades?

Remember, he’s the party’s third choice to try to topple the Liberals. Andrew Sheer and Erin O’Toole couldn’t achieve what he appears to be on the precipice of. 

When and if the suspected change happens, promises to “axe the tax,” build homes, and crack down on crime will cost money. Doing it while balancing a projected $60 Billion deficit leads me to wonder how. 

All parties must show Canadians the math, the money, and how any political promises won’t ultimately cost taxpayers more. 

Is that too much to ask?

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Dan Gray
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