The NCC has it's work cut out for them - Bill C79 (en francais)

C-79 An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (third party election advertising)
The Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform

I've been watching the flurry of bills that Liberal Cabinet Ministers seem to be papering the house with these days. (15 in the last month, more on this later)

I must admit, I was shocked when I came across Bill C79 and read it's contents. I had no idea that the Liberals had plans to even further restrict 3rd Party Election adverstising. While this bill will die on Monday when Paul Martin's government falls, the contents represent a clear indication of where they intend on taking things should they retain any sort of power.

Bascially, the Election Gag law is to be extended to prevent any money raised six months prior to an election from being used for any advertising during the writ period. Here's the summary:

SUMMARY
This enactment amends the Canada Elections Act to limit the ability of a third party to use, for election advertising purposes, contributions that are made during the period beginning six months before the issue of the writs and ending on polling day. The limits are set at $5,000 from the total contributions received from an individual and $1,000 from the total contributions received from any other person or entity.
The enactment creates additional reporting requirements for third parties that receive contributions during that period that exceed those amounts.
It also provides that the total amount of contributions that a person or other entity can make to third parties during that period for election advertising purposes cannot exceed the spending limit applicable to a third party during that election.
The enactment amends the anti-collusion provision for third parties to ensure that persons and other entities cannot circumvent the limits and creates new offences to enforce those limits.

This coming from a Minister responsible for Democratic Reform?

If these same rules were applied to political parties, the Liberals would be broke going into this election. This is simply a further attempt to gag those voices not part of any of the mainstream political parties.

While I don't want to see Canada develop like the PACs in the States, this is just getting ridiculous.

Next thing you know, the government will be legislating things like what to do with our kids or what we can and can't eat.

Oh, right. They're already doing that.