Ontario’s Progressive leader says he would end the millions of dollars in per-vote subsidies the government pays to parties like his, calling it “political welfare” and bad for democracy. “I do not believe the government should be taking money from hard-working taxpayers and giving it to political parties,” he wrote on Facebook during the PC leadership campaign in February. “Corporate welfare is wrong, and political party welfare is equally wrong; I will put an end to both.”A spokesman for Ford said Thursday he remains committed to eliminating the subsidy. “Political parties need to appeal to grassroots supporters — they should not receive taxpayer-funded welfare,” said a spokeswoman. The subsidies are the most democratic part of Ontario’s system, allocating funding based on the parties’ ballot-box backing, said Duff Conacher, the group’s head.

Source: National Post April 19, 2018 22:52 UTC