The bigger issue isn't what candidates and parties can spend before the campaign, it's what they can spend during it. B.C.'s limits are so high they're pretty well meaningless.

For the last six weeks, deep in the B.C. legislature, eight MLAs have been toiling away at trying to set spending limits for municipal parties and their candidates in 2018, as well as third parties. It's been an oddly quiet discussion, given that their recommendations might restore a modicum of faith in local democracy. Might.