Money fuels Canadian elections – but who gives, who gets, and who really wins? This book pulls back the curtain on Canada’s campaign finance system to reveal how money shapes competition, representation, and power. Moving beyond party war chests and national ad blitzes, it zooms in on electoral districts, where local contests ultimately determine the House of Commons and who forms government. Following the money from donors to candidates and through to election outcomes, it shows how access to financial resources can make or break a campaign. Not all aspiring representatives can tap into wealthy networks, and not all citizens are equally able to give. While Canadian campaign finance regulations aim to curb the influence of rich donors, businesses, and “special interests,” public policy researcher Holly Ann Garnett asks whether these rules truly level the playing field – or quietly reproduce existing inequalities. Accessible, data-driven, and politically timely, Who Gives? Who Gets? Who Wins? challenges readers to reconsider what democratic fairness means in a system where every voter is equal at the ballot box, but not at the bank.

Money fuels Canadian elections – but who gives, who gets, and who really wins? This book pulls back the curtain on Canada’s campaign finance system to reveal how money shapes competition, representation, and power. Moving beyond party war chests and national ad blitzes, it zooms in on electoral districts, where local contests ultimately determine the House of Commons and who forms government. Following the money from donors to candidates and through to election outcomes, it shows how access to financial resources can make or break a campaign. Not all aspiring representatives can tap into wealthy networks, and not all citizens are equally able to give. While Canadian campaign finance regulations aim to curb the influence of rich donors, businesses, and “special interests,” public policy researcher Holly Ann Garnett asks whether these rules truly level the playing field – or quietly reproduce existing inequalities. Accessible, data-driven, and politically timely, Who Gives? Who Gets? Who Wins? challenges readers to reconsider what democratic fairness means in a system where every voter is equal at the ballot box, but not at the bank.

Money fuels Canadian elections – but who gives, who gets, and who really wins? This book pulls back the curtain on Canada’s campaign finance system to reveal how money shapes competition, representation, and power. Moving beyond party war chests and national ad blitzes, it zooms in on electoral districts, where local contests ultimately determine the House of Commons and who forms government. Following the money from donors to candidates and through to election outcomes, it shows how access to financial resources can make or break a campaign. Not all aspiring representatives can tap into wealthy networks, and not all citizens are equally able to give. While Canadian campaign finance regulations aim to curb the influence of rich donors, businesses, and “special interests,” public policy researcher Holly Ann Garnett asks whether these rules truly level the playing field – or quietly reproduce existing inequalities. Accessible, data-driven, and politically timely, Who Gives? Who Gets? Who Wins? challenges readers to reconsider what democratic fairness means in a system where every voter is equal at the ballot box, but not at the bank.