Ontario law would double donation limits
PCs’ legislation aims to restrict election spending by third-party groups
Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives have unveiled major campaign finance changes, doubling annual donation caps to $3,300, extending per-vote subsidies for political parties and limiting PAC spending.
Under legislation introduced Thursday by Attorney General Doug Downey, advance polling days would also be increased from five to 10 to allow for safer voting in the COVID-19 era.
Downey said the Conservatives want to clamp down on political action committees (PAC), such as the pro-Tory Ontario Proud and Working Families, which boosted the Liberals in past election campaigns.
Such third-party advertising groups — traditionally funded by wealthy developers, corporations or unions — spent more than $5 million in the six months leading up to the June 2018 election.
The government wants PAC spending restrictions extended from six to12 months before the June 2, 2022 vote and plans to define “collusion to help protect Ontario’s elections from outside influence and interference.”
“We strongly believe that Ontario voters should determine the outcome of elections, not big corporations or unions, American-style political action groups or other outside influences,” said Downey.
“This is about the overall integrity of our elections,” he said in an interview.
PACs would still be allowed to spend up to $50,000 a month on advertising in the year leading up to an election.
Among the 19 amendments unveiled at Queen’s Park is a change to the Municipal Elections Act to allow candidates to register electronically instead of lining up in person as been the case at Toronto city hall and other civic buildings around Ontario.
Despite an internal push from some senior Conservatives to ban all individual contributions to parties to curb the influence of donors on government, donation limits are being increased to $3,300 from $1,650 a year.
“There’s a lot of debate about what’s the best way to participate,” the attorney general conceded in an interview.
“For some people, that’s how they participate in the system,” he said.
After a 2016 probe by the Star’s Martin Regg Cohn, former premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals banned corporate and union donations, slashed annual contribution limits from $9,975, and closed loopholes that allowed individuals to effectively give almost $30,000 per year.
While the Conservatives watered down some rules after winning power in 2018, Downey emphasized the prohibition on corporations or unions bankrolling politicians would continue.
NDP MPP Taras Natyshak (Essex) blasted the hike to contribution limits.
“In the midst of a pandemic where people desperately need help, Doug Ford’s trying to bring back big money in politics by letting deep-pocketed donors double the amount they give to politicians,” said Natyshak.
“The Liberals tried to rack up big money with cash for access, and now the Ford Conservatives are doing anything they can to get more cash out of each land baron and big business tycoon that’s got their back,” he said.
The Tories will also extend until 2024 the per-vote subsidies for political parties, which had been set to expire later this year.
That subsidy will increase from the current 45.2 cents per vote per quarter to 63.6 cents, the level it was in 2018, working out to $2.54 per vote annually.
“It was going to sunset at the end of this year and COVID-19 came along,” said Downey, noting all parties are facing challenges fundraising during a pandemic when events cannot be safely held.
Based on the results of the most recent election, it means the Tories will receive $5.7 million annually, the NDP $4.9 million, the Liberals $2.9 million, and the Greens $672,000.
Those per-vote subsidies would change after the 2022 campaign to reflect the tallies of that election.
Green Leader Mike Schreiner expressed concern about the donation limit increase, but welcomed “the extension of the per vote allowance because it gives every Ontarian the opportunity to direct a donation through their vote.”
In a bid to “level the playing field” for Independent MPPs, they would also be eligible to receive a per-vote subsidy and raise money outside of election writ periods and keep surpluses from their campaigns.
That’s largely in response to a push from Independent MPP Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston) who has gone to court alleging Ontario’s election finance laws violate his Charter rights.
Under the existing legislation, it is illegal for Independent MPPs — there are now four former PC members in the 124member legislature — to fundraise for political campaigns because they are no longer affiliated with a party.
There would be new rules to allow MPPs to maintain their social media profiles on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter before, during and after a writ period.
There had been confusion over what was permitted, leading some members to have separate accounts for their followers.
“Social media activity will be subject to rules established by the Legislative Assembly. Ministers will also continue to be subject to the social media guidelines made by the government,” the government said.
In a nod to municipalities, civic clerks could allow candidates and third-party advertisers to submit their nomination and registration forms electronically.
Finally, the chief electoral officer, the independent person who runs Ontario elections, would be empowered to impose cash fines on campaign scofflaws instead of just reporting violations to the attorney general’s office.