August 14, 1867

JOBBERY OF THE PUBLIC PURSE

A more-than-doubling of the cost of tax collection over eight years of Macdonald-Cartier government produced barely $800,00 more in revenues for the government.

Public records show that in in 1853, the year before Macdonald-Cartier took office it cost $175,163 to collect $4,228,754 in customs and excise revenue. By 1861, the government was spending $395,281 to collect $5,063,260.

Government spending increased from $4,143,629 to $10,490,084 over the same period and the average annual deficit is reported to have been $2,060,365.

Such growth can only be explained, suggests the Globe by wanton jobbery perpetrated by a prime minister who seeks to purchase support through the control of government patronage, jobs, and emoluments, rather than through the advance of political principles and ideas.

Having spent the pre-writ period arguing in principle against the concept of Coalition, the Liberals have opened up this new front, in which they hope to demonstrate to electors that the coalition is practically problematic, not just theoretically so.

ELECTION CALENDAR

This section will be updated daily as information is received.

Ontario

Carleton: Nomination August 19; Poll August 26/27

East Durham: Nomination August 22; Poll August 29/30

Hamilton: Nomination August 26; Poll September 3/4

KIngston: Nomination August 19; Poll August 26/27

London: Nomination August 21; Poll August 28/29

South Ontario: Nomination August 19; Poll August 26/27

Ottawa: Nomination August 19; Poll August 26/27

North Renfrew: Nomination August 27; Poll September 4/5

Toronto East: Nomination August 22; Poll August 29/30

Toronto West: Nomination August 22; Poll August 29/30

South Wentworth: Nomination August 23; Poll August 30/31