Money and politics have been intertwined for millennia. It’s no accident that most prominent politicians come from money, or make plenty of it while in office. It’s a bit unfortunate that, in a representative democracy, those who represent us tend to be more have than have not.
It is pretty much impossible in modern campaigns to avoid dropping millions of dollars on ad buys and tour buses and so much more.
And in many precincts, take Alberta for example, you need to pony up just to be a candidate.
The United Conservative Party in Alberta has upped the money required to become a candidate by almost double, to $175,000 in fees and deposits. Potential candidates have until July 29 to come up with most of that, in addition to a petition signed by 1,000 party members. And, since no Albertan is allowed to donate more than $4300 to any candidate in a year, some of those deep pockets may contain only lint right now.
It’s not unusual to require funds from candidates in a leadership race. For the federal Conservative party, a candidate must come up with $300,000, but only 500 signatures. That $300,000 can be raised across the country, giving the federal candidate a much larger pocket to dig into.
Now the reasoning by the UCP bosses is that they only want “robust” and “serious” candidates to run. I guess proving you can come up with a sum of money like that makes you robust and serious. Money talks.The other aim is to keep the field down to a limited number of candidates.
Which so far is not working as the field currently includes up to ten candidates, and many more rumoured. Perhaps meeting the money requirement, and the even more onerous signature requirement, will weed some of those out.
Here are the current rumoured contestants:
Leela Aheer - UCP backbencher
Brian Jean: Current UCP backbencher and former Wildrose leader
Todd Loewen: Currently sits as an Independent after encouraging Jason Kenney to resign and being rewarded by being turfed from caucus.
Bill Rock: Mayor of a small town, actually a village called Amisk.
Ryan Sawhney: UCP legislative member, former cabinet minister
Rebecca Schulz: Also a minister in Kenney’s government
Daniel Smith: Former Wildrose leader who infamously crossed the floor to the UCP
Travis Toews: Finance Minister, although he stepped down to avoid conflict of interest in the leadership race as did Sawhney and Schulz
There was plenty of buzz around federal MP Michelle Rempel Garner — a lot of buzz. In fact she was deemed an instant front runner should she declare. But late last week she pulled herself out of consideration and she didn’t mince words.
“But in both parties (the federal Conservatives and provincial UCP)there have also been squabbles that have erupted in the pages of national media, public meltdowns, nearly missed physical fights, coups, smear jobs, leaked recordings and confidential emails, lack of consensus on critical issues, caucus turfings, people harassed to the point where they resign roles, and hours long meetings where members have been subjected to hours of public castigation.
“There have been heated exchanges to get basic concerns addressed, unjustified insularity in decision making, shunnings, exclusionary cliques and more.”
She doesn’t paint a pretty picture and good for her for caring enough about her own mental health to recognize a bad situation.
Once the real campaign begins, it will be interesting to see if UPC candidates seem as determined to rip each other to shreds as their federal counterparts. In the federal campaign, accusations are flying and the fight is getting more than bitter, as Rempel Garner more than hinted at. Finding a new leader is supposed to heal the party, but the race has thus far been so filled with vitriol that seems an impossible dream.
Looks like Alberta is in the same boat.