Tuesday, June 1, 1999

OTTAWA - Today, Democracy Watch released its new report For the Best Government Money Can't Buy: How to Make Canada's Political Finance System Democratic which sets out 17 recommendations for cleaning up political finance in Canada. The report sets the standard, based upon a review of all jurisdictions in North America, by which the federal government's soon-to-be-introduced amendments to federal elections law should be judged.

"It's high time the federal government took steps to stop wealthy private interests from using money to undermine government's ability to act in the public interest," said Aaron Freeman, a Director of Democracy Watch and author of Cashing In: Money and Influence in Canadian Politics (to be published in the fall by McClelland & Stewart), "The democratic principle of one person, one vote should be extended to the political finance system to ensure that those with money do not distort Canada's political process and the flow of money is tracked in detail."

Democracy Watch's report makes the following recommendations, among others, which are also applicable to provinces, especially Ontario which recently weakened it political finance laws:

* Instead of increasing party donation reimbursement rates, as proposed by a parliamentary committee in June 1998, the government should put in place public financing for political parties based upon the actual popular support parties obtain.

* Limits should be set on political donations that are at a level that is affordable for the average Canadian.

* Corporations, unions, and other organizations that do not vote should be prohibited from donating to political parties, candidates and riding associations.

* Constituency associations should be required to register and disclose all their donors and MPs should be required to disclose all their donors between elections.

* Donor disclosure requirements should include a total of donations made, and enough information to identify every donor, and donations should be disclosed quarterly, as in the U.S. Donations should also be made available on the Internet, as in Ontario.

* Party leadership races, and third-party spending, should also be subject to donation limits and disclosure requirements.

* Government advertising should be restricted leading up to and during elections, and a right to complain about false political advertising should be enacted.