As the news of the day was announced on my radio at 6:30 this morning I have to admit to being shocked and pleasantly surprised to learn about the crossing of Rob Anderson and Heather Forsythe to the Wildrose Alliance. I was almost in shock with surprise.
However the Alliance still needs one more MLA to make it four. Then the party would be official according to legislation. Without that status they can still find them selves being held to the whims of the speaker.
But just so we are clear on how the PCs evaluated the “plight” of the NDP in 1997 with two seats, here is what the PC party MLAs had to say:
“Regardless of the number of seats that they hold in opposition, there is a cost involved with being the leader of an opposition party.”
- Minister of Municipal Affairs Rob Renner voiced during the Member Services Committee meeting in 1997.
“I think we should allow for the eventuality that there might be a party… in the Legislature, which has obtained, say 5 per cent and two members… Also in the present circumstances, we have to fund the office of the leader of the Independents, as you have been terming it.”
- Dr. Ian Reid, a former PC MLA from Edson, Members Services May 1983
“[T]o put it in perspective, they have to hire researchers, they have to hire secretarial staff. We have a pool; they don’t.”
- Mr. William Purdy former PC MLA for Stony Plain Member Services May 1983
“The leader of a minority party – I have guesstimated at 5 per cent of the vote or two members.”
- Mr. Alan Hyland former PC MLA Cypress Member Services May 1983
“In fact I understand there is even precedent, should there be a fourth party, that they would receive about a quarter [funding for the leaders office].”
- Minister of Municipal Affairs Rob Renner Member Services 1997
“I would have to support what Mr. Renner said earlier. I mean, opposition is opposition, and it has a role to play. We’ve just heard a discussion as to what the funds essentially get used for in terms of the leader’s office, in terms of research and support staff. I think that in order to be effective as an opposition, you definitely need those components…”
- Mr. Denis Herard PC MLA for Calgary-Egmont Member Services 1997
So those comments were from the PCs of the past. But the Speaker does not have to follow that, any more than the Member Services committee had to when we applied for increased funding in 2004.
Just to make the case graphically here is a table.
CAUCUS FUNDING FIGURES
|
Caucus |
Party |
Caucus Funding |
MLA Funding |
Number of MLA(s) |
Year |
| Grant Notley | NDP |
$107,000 |
$20,000 |
1 |
1982 |
| Gordon Kessler | WCC |
$101,000 |
$20,000 |
1 |
1982 |
| Ray Speaker | Independent Caucus |
$100,000 |
50,000 |
2 |
1983 |
| Ray Speaker | Representative Party |
$140,000 |
40,000 |
2 |
1986 |
| Pam Barrett | NDP |
$148,000 |
42,000 |
2 |
1997 |
| Brian Mason | NDP |
$193,000 |
55,000 |
2 |
2004 |
| Paul Hinman | Alberta Alliance |
$0 |
57,000 |
1 |
2005 |
So if the Speaker comes back and feeds a line about fairness and something about how they are just cannot recognize the Wildrose Alliance lets all be clear it is pure politics. They recognized a byelection winning WCC in 1982 and the NDP have got money for years. So funding which is critical for the opposition is easy to choke out.
Now you might point out that maybe neither party should get funding and removed the leaders funding from the NDP and call it fair.
Well that may be “fair” but in a democracy in order to have a chance to fight someone 50 times your size you need a bit of muscle. Caucus funding allows for research and communications, it gives all parties a chance to be up on issues and not fumbling in the dark. In 2005 we spent a lot of time fumbling because we did not have the capability to research policies, to offer real alternatives that worked. And you need that funding to help produce something more than just a criticism.
Of course this is all moot if one more MLA jumps on board in the coming weeks before the Legislature sits again.
Tags: Alberta PC, Politics, Wildrose Alliance
