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Analysis of Financial Trends of Regulated Federal Political Entities, 2000–2014

Conclusion

The review of the financial data shows that registered parties and their EDAs have been generally able to maintain or improve their financial situation from 2004 to 2014. In this regard, however, the additional public funding measures introduced in 2004 (and partially repealed since) have benefitted mostly the parties represented in Parliament, and the gap between those parties and the others has grown.

While the reforms of 2004 helped create a public funding model that enhanced the financial health of those parties represented in Parliament, the quarterly allowance (the major source of public funding after 2004) has been phased out, and the last payment made was for the first quarter of 2015. Based on the 2015 general election results, the elimination of the quarterly allowance will take close to $42 million a year out of the revenue streams of the registered parties that were eligible for the allowance.

The next political financing cyclical report will be published after the completion of the compliance reviews of the registered parties' and candidates' electoral returns for the 2015 election. It will examine the financial data of regulated federal political entities after the elimination of the quarterly allowance and the 2015 general election, and will also be an opportunity to examine spending trends in the context of a fixed election date.