Ontario’s Political Power Oligopoly
Preferential treatment by government subsidies and bribed media has revealed that “politics is the public square of ideas” is no longer true in modern politics (if it ever was)
“Incumbents have a huge advantage” (linked) by author Kirk Winter resonates with my own experience as a Libertarian candidate in 8 prior elections. However, it only tells part of the story. The advantages are much more pervasive and significant for all of the Big Four parties, not just the incumbents. Few voters realize how much the Big Four benefit from government subsidies and preferential media coverage.
Subsidies are undemocratic
The Elections Ontario web site shows that 23 parties are registered for the June 2 election. The Per Vote Subsidy was introduced circa 2015 by former Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne and it continues to award $millions annually to the Big Four - the Conservative, Liberal, NDP and Green parties. These tax dollars go a long way to fund high-profile election campaigns and provide a huge election advantage to recipients. The non-subsidized ‘Other 19’ depend solely on fundraising which provides meagre resources at best and partially explains their feeble efforts to be publicly visible during elections.
Media Editors and Producers decide which ideas are in your interest to consider.
The editors and producers of the mainstream media corporations (aka Big Media) only cover the campaigns of the Big Four. These men and women evidently believe that the ideas of the Other 19 are unworthy of coverage. Do you approve of unelected media content-providers, especially the government-funded CBC, prioritizing and/or choosing on your behalf which of the 23 parties’ ideas you should consider?
Castles made of sand? I can only wish!
These Big Four major parties represent an Oligopoly of Political Power in Ontario. They, the bribed Big Media and a variety of unknown government insiders have successfully built an enduring moat around its Castle of Authority and Influence so as to repel and discourage new ideas for voters to weigh and consider. There is little doubt that Big Labour, the public sector labour unions, also factor into the Oligopoly’s entourage of crony parters.
Politics has been described as the “public square for ideas”. Unfortunately, the aforementioned subsidies and preferential media attention have accomplished largely what Big Tech has done to free speech on the Internet - suppressed and censored it.
https://issuu.com/kawarthalakespublisher/docs/lindsay_advocate_2022_may_web/18