Currently we have a system where, for contributions to federally registered political parties, the maximum is $1,100 per individual. Unions and corporations cannot contribute at all. However, if there is a referendum, whether it be referendum committees or third parties, they can receive and spend, outside of Quebec, unlimited amounts of money, it seems.
If there is a convergence of views between a particular third party and a political party, one could very easily make the case that you're doing an end run on the political financing regime because you're giving $100,000 to a third party who's advocating a position identical to that of a political party. So rather than be restricted to $1,100 to contribute to your favourite political party, you can contribute 10 or 20 or 100 times more than that to a third party who will be advocating the same position.
I'm wondering how you deal with that. Is it similar in British Colombia, or do you have regulations in place to prevent that type of end run from occurring?