OTTAWA — The Trudeau Liberals have agreed to increase the amount of money political parties can spend in the run-up to a federal election — a price they've paid to end Conservative stalling of an omnibus bill to reform election laws.
The government initially proposed in Bill C-76 to cap party spending on advertising in the pre-writ period at $1.5 million — a move the deep-pocketed Conservatives alleged was aimed at reducing their financial advantage and rigging the election in the Liberals' favour.
The government agreed today to increase the spending limit to $2 million.
That concession was enough to break the impasse at the procedure and House affairs committee, where the bill has been stalled since June.
Conservative committee members have now agreed to proceed to clause-by-clause votes on the bill on Oct. 15.
The government is scrambling to get the bill passed quickly so that its many measures can be implemented in time for the next federal election just over a year from now.
