LEGISLATION TO BAN CORPORATE, UNION DONATIONS TO PARTIES

Government tables legislation to ban corporate and union donations to political parties

The days of corporate donations to political parties in P.E.I. could be numbered.

On Thursday, the Liberals tabled legislation to amend the Election Expenses Act, which included a change that would eliminate corporate and union donations.

Speaking to the media Thursday, Premier Wade MacLauchlan said through discussions it became clear that other people were comfortable with only allowing donations from individuals who are P.E.I. residents.

It is part of three major changes to political donations, MacLauchlan said.

“It’s going to mean that all political parties then are dealing with this as a level playing field.”

The legislation was a change from previous statements MacLauchlan made that he planned to put a cap on corporate donations.

Corporate donations can bring in big money for political parties with the five largest donations for the Liberals and PCs in 2016 all coming from corporations. The new legislation would also limit donations to $3,000 per year per person to each party or independent candidate.

Under the current legislation

there is no restriction on corporate or union donations, but that would change with the proposed amendments.

That amount would increase by $50 per year to keep up with inflation.

With the proposed changes, only residents of P.E.I. would be able to make donations to political parties in the province.

After the government tabled the legislation Thursday, MacLauchlan said the $3,000 was taken from the federal limit for political donations.

“If you take that number and look at it in terms of the, you might say, the span nationally it’s pretty much in the middle or maybe even slightly below the middle of the range,” he said.

Green Leader Peter BevanBaker, who previously called on the government to ban corporate and union donations, said

the change brings the province more in line political donation rules in other provinces.

“I think these changes are a really positive step forward and I applaud the government for them,” he said.

During his leadership campaign, Opposition Leader James Aylward didn’t accept corporate or union donations and after seeing the bill he said he supports that change.

Aylward also said he was glad to see some of the changes planned in the bill and he also supported the donation limit.

He did have at least one issue with the bill.

“I am greatly disappointed that there wasn’t some level of public consultation conducted around this,” Aylward said.