The most important reason Brad Cabana should be able to run for PC leadership

A TAX CREDIT IS AVAILABLE

The Provincial Income Tax Act allows for a credit against Newfoundland and Labrador personal and corporate income taxes payable for a portion of political contributions.

The tax credit available is calculated as follows:

- 75 per cent of the first $100 of total contributions, and

- 50 per cent of the next $450 of total contributions, and

- 33 1/3 per cent of the next $600 of total contributions

For a maximum available credit of $500.

If a political party is unable or unwilling to provide reasonable information to a candidate (rules) - clear and simple and if that same political party has inconsistent policies such as the litmus test for an MHA candidacy is different materially than the policy for running for a leader - they should be unable to offer tax receipts.

If you contribute to a political party and receive a credit in return that involves all of our money regardless of our stripe and the party receives public money. The test for fairness for things such as rules for leadership candidacy must be clear and certainly appear democratic. If it wishes to act as a private club - where rules are changed to suit the executive - then no public money. This is my money and yours - yet we are unable to nominate an individual?

People using arguments about the PC pedigree of Cabana are being partisan to the extreme. If 50 ordinary Newfoundlanders and Labradorians cannot qualify to suggest to a PC convention that they support this fellow or anybody else to run then what should the party expect during the election? How many at an average PC (while in government) convention? 500 - well Cabana got 10% of that number and I am relatively sure they were resident in this province. The PC's and the Liberals do a fine job controlling the conventions - what is troubling them?

If the rules are that you must have been at a convention, showed up at a district association meeting, or somehow convinced somebody on the PC executive that you are PC - then who will be voting for them in the next election. Some 100,000 people should be on the list from the last time.

If you want public funds - then you're mandatory constitution should be fair, open, and accountable.

Then again that is not their strong point - right?