Donations flowing again

Eight months after announcing his intention to eliminate corporate donations, P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan changed his mind. Letter writer Boyd Allen offers his thoughts.

On May 11, 2016, the Premier of Prince Edward Island announced his intention to eliminate corporate donations to political parties here on P.E.I. He must have felt confident enough to turn off the corporate spigots. All the polls were supportive and the democratic renewal file seemed under control. Eight months later he must have been feeling gun-shy. On the Dec.14, he announced that corporate donations would flow once again (with an inconsequential cap).

I don’t think this was simply party reaction to the CRA poll and its impact on the Liberal Party warchest. To me it ripples into their strategy for the upcoming referendum on electoral reform. Government can’t easily deploy sufficient resources to guarantee its preferred outcome. The Liberal Party of P.E.I. can. The usual corporate donors have a great deal invested in the status quo. If you change the system, you change the terms of engagement.

It would be unbecoming for them to be seen actively campaigning against proportional representation. If they can pony up to the Liberal Party, it can do it for them with limited oversight.

With renewed revenue stream there also should be plenty remaining to spend on the general election.

What it boils down to is the Liberal Party of P.E.I. re-directing corporate donations to achieve its preferred outcome on the referendum. Boyd Allen, Pownal