WYNNE FINALLY ENDS CASH-FOR-ACCESS SCHEME

KATHLEEN WYNNE’S CASH-FOR-ACCESS SCAM took a turn this week as, under fire for the mounting scandal, her government announced it would end the practice.

Condemned for its loose election financing rules, the government moved last spring to bring in new legislation limiting contributions to political parties. However, Bill 201 did not address the most egregious of practices in which large donors could buy one-on-one access with Wynne and her cabinet ministers.

On Monday, the Liberals did an about-face, promising to ban provincial politicians from attending fundraising events.

Government House Leader Yasir Naqvi, who’s looking after Bill 201, promised to amend the legislation despite claiming for months such changes would be impractical. Cash-for-access has been a popular and lucrative fundraising route for Wynne.

Opposition MPPs have been hammering the government for its failures on the file, but Naqvi said Monday’s announcement had nothing to do with public pressure, nor was it a last-minute thing, the Globe and Mail reported. The paper has been shining a light on the practice since first reporting it in February 2013, just weeks after Wynne became premier.

Waterloo NDP MPP Catherine Fife wasn’t convinced by the last-minute change of heart. She wants to see the final wording of the revised legislation before deciding if the Liberals are serious about reform.

“It’s a last-ditch, desperate effort to look like they had any intention of doing the right thing,” she said. “If we are successful in truly making election financing transparent and accountable in this province, then we will have won by holding them to account. But the devil is always in the details with this government.”

The Globe reports PC deputy leader Steve Clark as being even more sceptical in light of the Liberals opting to block all opposition amendments to Bill 201.

“You people are a real piece of work,” he admonished the Liberals at committee after Naqvi’s statement was read out. “Not only did you continue to do cash-for-access even after you were caught … this whole process, it’s just been a sham. You’re going to do whatever you want to do.”

Obviously hoping to continue on with cash-for-access events, the Liberals finally saw the light. The details still remain to be worked out, though Ontarians need proper election financing reform.

Currently, individuals, companies and unions can contribute $9,775 annually to the party of their choice, plus the same amount again during an election campaign. If they’ve got another $6,650 each year, they can pass that along to the constituency associations. During an election campaign, donors can scratch out another cheque in that amount to various candidates, not to exceed $1,330 for any one candidate.

Under the proposed legislation, the maximum contribution would fall to $1,550

On the advertising side, the province is proposing to limit third-party spending. Bill 201 would cap spending by corporations, unions and individuals at $100,000 during an election, and at $600,000 in the six months leading up to it.

Almost assuredly, whatever measures finally adopted won’t go far enough: an outright ban on donations and thirdparty advertising. Real democratic reform would also end lobbying, as well as the revolving door between government and corporations/lobbyists.