A glimpse at the machinery of power
Re Why the fundraising free-for-all marches on, March 31 Congratulations and thanks to Martin Regg Cohn and the Star for a classic job of investigative journalism in the public good. The everyday slog of cultivating sources, even though it only occasionally bears fruit, is a mark of a top-grade reporter, backed by a first-rank publication.
Why is this series such a big deal? Because it speaks to a primary role our political parties, in and out of government, should be performing on our behalf, but obviously are not. And that is to act as a buffer between corporations and the general population, as employees, consumers and environmentalists.
The corporate sector will always control our economy almost completely, and we’d be naïve to expect otherwise. As individuals, we can look to only one countervailing force to ensure some degree of fair treatment, and that is elected government. And since most corporate regulations are provincial, the task falls largely to Queen’s Park. In theory, that is.
The issue is that when politicians weigh opposing interests of corporations and individuals, ideally seeking a balance that both can live with, corporations have always sought to have their thumb on the scale. They have seen to it over the years that the system has been designed for their benefit, and donations to political parties ensure that this doesn’t change. Long practise has shown them, as businessmen, that they can expect value for money. Otherwise, why dish it out?
This series reinforces the need to examine every employee-rights, consumer and environmental law to determine what isn’t said, what is worded ambiguously, what is overly specific or overly general. Those are known as loopholes, and are there for the benefit of corporate party donors.
It’s way past time for Ontario parties to shed their self-imposed corporate handcuffs and work for the rest of us. J.A. McFarlane, Toronto I tell my Civics students that one of the many benefits of democracy is that all citizens have an equal say, but I remind them that they must be vigilant about threats to democracy.
I am currently reading Jane Mayer’s book, Dark Money, which provides depressing examples of how wealthy individuals in the U.S. manipulated elected representatives to the detriment of democracy. And in Ontario our elected representatives are intentionally leveraging their power?
Premier Wynne, please stop it. Don Reynolds, Mississauga Please ask bagman Kathleen Wynne what it would cost me to be president of Hydro. I can offer half my after-tax salary, plus free use of a helicopter. Andy Turnbull, Toronto