Curtailing the fundraising. A step in right direction

Political contribution limits in Ontario

• $9,975 to a central party in any year.
• An additional $9,975 to a central party for each campaign period.
• $6,650 to a party’s constituency associations in any year (but no more than $1,330 to each constituency).
• $6,650 to a party’s candidates during a campaign period, (but no more than $1,330 to each candidate).

“Today I made an official complaint to Ontario’s Integrity Commissioner. The laws are clear: you can’t use an elected office for a personal benefit, but the Liberal quota scheme seems to be doing just that,” said Singh. “It is clear to most people that the Premier, as the leader of the Liberal Party and head of cabinet, had to have approved of this quota system and may have been directly involved in the assignments.  This quota system was the responsibility of the Premier.” Ontario New Democrat Deputy Leader Jagmeet Singh, (MPP, Bramalea-Gore-Malton)

 “The people of Ontario need the truth to come out.If this government has nothing to hide, will the Premier call a commission of inquiry to investigate the connection between Liberal party donations, government grants and policy changes?” Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown

 Political contribution limits in Ontario is $9,975 to a central party in any year, an additional $9,975 to a central party for each campaign period. $6,650 to a party’s constituency associations in any year (but no more than $1,330 to each constituency), $6,650 to a party’s candidate during a campaign period, (but no more than $1,330 to each candidate).Media not only in Toronto but all around Canada has been raising questions on fundraising quota for ministers in Ontario. Premier Kathleen Wynne was able to avoid answering the questions, but finally had to let the cat out of the bag and admitted that cabinet ministers in Ontario do have fundraising targets.

Ontario Liberal party plans $6,000 a ticket fundraiser that includes cocktails and access to senior ministers and the premier. There can be many members of principle in political parties, but finding a party of principle, conceivably the most intricate undertaking in politics.  A donation of $ 5000 to the Ontario PC party can get you a trip to Queen’s Park and its leader Patrick Brown. The options are unending; donate $9,975 to the provincial NDP in Alberta and you can get an access to the Alberta Premier. NDP’s Andrea Horwath faced media questions too when she set a ticket price of nearly $10,000 when her Ontario NDP hosted Alberta Premier Rachel Notleyfor a posh fundraiser in February, sparking an uproar because of donations from blue-chip corporations that do business in Alberta — where such contributions were banned by Notley last year.

In addition, in Ontario; people, companies and unions can donate $9,775 to a party each year, another $9,975 to the party for each campaign period, plus $6,650 annually to constituency associations of any one party. They can also donate $6,650 to candidates of any one party in a campaign, but no more than $1,330 to a single candidate.

In a story that was run by leading TV channel last weekend, Premier KatheenWynne refused to confirm that cabinet ministers have individual fundraising targets of up to $500,000, but when was pressed on the issue again, she stated, “You’ll have to talk to the party,” she said. “It’s the party that raises the money. It’s the party that works with all the members to support their fundraising efforts, and it’s the same for all of the parties at the provincial level,” she added. Opposition alleges that the

Liberal party has been making the best use of the rules.  Premier responded by saying, “I think everyone in this legislature agrees there is a need to raise money in order to run campaigns,” she said. “My experience with fundraising is that many of the people who give money to one party actually give money to all parties.”

That doesn’t mean the system doesn’t need fixing. It certainly does. A little better news came in the form of a pledge from Premier Kathleen Wynne to reform fundraising rules and asked PC party leader Brown and NDP leader Horwath to share inputs. She expressed desire to ban corporate and union donations to political parties and reduce the amount individuals can donate. She also expressed that the new law will ban third-party advertising.

Putting much speculation to rest,   Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that she is cancelling all of her upcoming private fundraising events and is instructing members of her cabinet to do the same. In a debate that was witnessed from the floor of the house, Premier Wynne made the announcement in question period in response to a query from PC Leader Patrick Brown.  “I think we have to lead by example and that’s why I’ve made the decision to immediately cancel upcoming private fundraisers that I attend,” said Wynne. “I’ve also asked the same of my ministers. I think it’s important that we get this right.”

When fully implemented, these changes would be significant and will bring Ontario at par with other provinces and in line with federal rules that prohibit corporate and union donations. These new rules will make it tougher for the parties to raise the money, and it would be interesting to watch if the parties would get the same passed; and if passed let it get implemented in the right earnest.