Wednesday, November 10, 1999

OTTAWA - Today, in response to the Liberal Party's proposed amendments to the Canada Elections Act, the newly formed Money in Politics Coalition launched its campaign to clean up Canada's political finance system.

"There's far too much money from wealthy interests flowing into the coffers of parties and candidates. Those with the greatest stake in government decision-making are bankrolling the democratic process." stated Aaron Freeman, the Coalition's coordinator. Freeman is a Board Member of Democracy Watch and author of Cashing In: Money and Influence in Canadian Politics (to be published in early 2000 by McClelland & Stewart).

The Coalition has 36 member organizations from across Canada, drawn from a broad range of political views. It has issued a 17-point plan to clean up political finance in Canada, including recommendations to close the loopholes in the disclosure regime, limit political donations, ban corporate and union donations, and limit government advertising leading up to an election. These recommendations, part of Democracy Watch's report For the Best Government Money Can't Buy: How to make Canada's Political Finance System Democratic, are based on a review of all jurisdictions in North America.

"Canada has no limits on how much donors can give to try and influence the democratic process, and we have what is essentially an optional system of donations disclosure," Freeman said. "We don't know who donates to riding associations, to candidates between elections, or through bogus organizations and numbered companies. The Liberals' bill does not meaningfully address any of these loopholes."

The Liberals' new amendments are being considered by the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, and the Liberals hope to rush the bill through third reading before the winter recess.

"There's definitely a mentality, even among opposition MPs, of pulling up the drawbridge behind them," Freeman stated. "Every MP reached Parliament through the current system, so many of them are committed to that system even though it is clearly flawed and undemocratic."