Federal laws restricting political advocacy by "third parties" (i.e., organizations not registered by
Elections Canada as political parties) during election campaigns led to the formation of this party. Following a
Supreme Court of Canada ruling that allowed political parties to be registered by only running a single candidate, animal rights activists formed the party. The AAEV party provides its members and candidates the opportunity to promote its views during election periods. The party originally endorsed major-party candidates who promoted positions favourable to its own. In the 2006 general election, AAEV's free-time political ads endorsed the
New Democratic Party, counterbalanced by the statement that voters could also vote for AAEV party leader Liz White in
Toronto Centre. Canadian electoral laws hinder misuse of this loophole by setting campaign spending limits for parties, proportional to the number of voters in the electoral districts where the party is running candidates. Because the AAEV was running only one candidate, it was permitted to spend $66,715.37, compared to the $18,225,260.74 limits granted to the major national parties. In 2008, the party ran four candidates. In 2011, it ran seven candidates with one candidate in the Western Arctic riding. In 2015, the party ran eight candidates, with one in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2019, the party ran 15 candidates. The party now acts like a traditional political party and rarely endorses other parties or candidates. ==Candidates==