posting
02-24-2009, 10:37 PM
CATCH News – February 24, 2009
Hamilton
Election donation rules up for debate
City council is being asked to seek authority to ban corporate and union donations. Correspondence from the town of Ajax, that’s up for consideration at tomorrow night’s council meeting, seeks provincial rule changes to give that power to all Ontario municipalities.
The City of Toronto obtained this right when the elections act (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_96m32_e.htm#BK90) was revised in 2006, and Toronto Council is actively considering implementing the ban. The letter from Ajax council notes such influence restrictions are already widespread in other Canadian elections.
“No corporate or trade union donations to municipal candidates and parties have been permitted in Quebec since 1980; both Quebec and Manitoba have banned corporate and union donations to provincial candidates and parties; and all such contributions were prohibited from federal electoral politics prior to the last Canadian election.”
Currently corporations, unions and individuals can donate up to $750 to any number of municipal candidates. Over half the donations to successful Hamilton candidates in the 2006 city elections came from corporations and another 9 percent came from unions.
Ajax council adopted their reform call after hearing a presentation from Robert MacDermid, a York University professor who has documented election donations in Toronto-area municipalities and who argues that these monies affect council decisions.
CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) updates use transcripts and/or public documents to highlight information about Hamilton civic affairs that is not generally available in the mass media.
Hamilton
Election donation rules up for debate
City council is being asked to seek authority to ban corporate and union donations. Correspondence from the town of Ajax, that’s up for consideration at tomorrow night’s council meeting, seeks provincial rule changes to give that power to all Ontario municipalities.
The City of Toronto obtained this right when the elections act (http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_96m32_e.htm#BK90) was revised in 2006, and Toronto Council is actively considering implementing the ban. The letter from Ajax council notes such influence restrictions are already widespread in other Canadian elections.
“No corporate or trade union donations to municipal candidates and parties have been permitted in Quebec since 1980; both Quebec and Manitoba have banned corporate and union donations to provincial candidates and parties; and all such contributions were prohibited from federal electoral politics prior to the last Canadian election.”
Currently corporations, unions and individuals can donate up to $750 to any number of municipal candidates. Over half the donations to successful Hamilton candidates in the 2006 city elections came from corporations and another 9 percent came from unions.
Ajax council adopted their reform call after hearing a presentation from Robert MacDermid, a York University professor who has documented election donations in Toronto-area municipalities and who argues that these monies affect council decisions.
CATCH (Citizens at City Hall) updates use transcripts and/or public documents to highlight information about Hamilton civic affairs that is not generally available in the mass media.