[Aegis]

Boo strategic voting!

But, that's another matter...

What's worse is that because this election occurs over two years technically (2005/2006) parties are able to accumlate double their normal funding. The way it normally works, a company is allowed to contribute $1000 Canadian to a party a year for the purposes of an election, while an a private person may contribute upwards to $5000 a year. These donations may also only occur during the time of the election campaign. This is a way to avoid the campaign victors being based simply upon who put more money into the election through bombaring media outlets with advertisments and slogans.

However, this election, because it started in November, and it occurs in Janurary, it sits over two seperate years, which means donations and contributions may be doubled. One donation in 2005 and another come the new year.

With the likely amount of American backing for Stephen Harper (as he holds the policies most well received by the current White House Administration), the Conversative party is bound to have a nice, full coffer by the end...