Regulating Independent Expenditures in Federal Elections

Abstract

Policy-makers have struggled for more than a decade with the question of how best to regulate independent expenditures in federal elections. This debate has apparently reached an impasse between policy-makers primarily concerned with financial equity in the electoral process, and interest groups which, armed with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, desire to participate in election campaigns independently of parties and candidates. This article examines the democratic interests represented by the opposing sides and identifies a regulatory proposal that respects these competing interests.