Tuesday, June 3, 2003

OTTAWA - Today, the nation-wide Money in Politics Coalition called on MPs on the House Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to pass amendments strengthening Bill C-24, the government's proposed political fundraising law.  The Committee will be considering the amendments at hearings beginning today and continuing through next week.

Amendments expected to be introduced include a complete ban on donations from corporations, unions and other organizations; requiring disclosure of all donations received by politicians; lowering the proposed $10,000 limit on individual donations; limiting party leadership race expenses, and reducing the delay in donation disclosures.

"The donation limits and disclosure requirements in Bill C-24 need to be strengthened to ensure big money cannot be used as a means of influence in federal politics in the future," said Aaron Freeman, a Democracy Watch board member and chair of the 50-group Money in Politics Coalition.

Democracy Watch also called on federal Ethics Counsellor Howard Wilson to rule immediately on donations made to Deputy Prime Minister John Manley's campaign for Liberal Party leadership.  On May 10th, Manley disclosed all campaign donations he has received, and several companies that have made large donations are registered to lobby the government on a wide range of issues.  Democracy Watch believes the donations cause clear conflicts of interest.

In July 2002, Ethics Counsellor Wilson required Manley, Sheila Copps and then-leadership-candidate Allan Rock to return some donations of $5,000 or more that he said caused conflicts of interest.  He has refused to disclose who made the donations, so it remains unclear exactly what ethics standard the Ethics Counsellor was upholding.

"By delaying ruling on conflicts caused by donations from lobbyists to John Manley's leadership campaign, the Ethics Counsellor is continuing his long-standing practice of covering up unethical activities involving Liberal Cabinet ministers," said Duff Conacher, Coordinator of Democracy Watch and chairperson of the nation-wide Government Ethics Coalition.