Ontario leaders to discuss political fundraising rules as debate heats up

Premier Kathleen Wynne insists she’s open to ideas from Ontario’s opposition leaders on tightening political fundraising rules and promises the Liberals won’t act unilaterally.

The premier agreed to meet with Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath Monday afternoon to discuss promised legislation to ban corporate and union donations to political parties.

They’ll also look at new rules for fundraising during byelections and leadership campaigns, lower contribution limits for individuals, as well as restrictions on third-party advertising.

Brown says he’ll be pushing Wynne for a public inquiry into fundraising quotas of up to $500,000 for Liberal cabinet ministers.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath wants the Chief Electoral Officer to oversee the campaign finance reform process, and says she doesn’t want Wynne drawing up the new donation rules on her own.

“I’m going to be proposing to the premier … that this legislature initiate a transparent, independent and non-partisan process to make recommendations on new rules for financing political parties,” she said.

“This premier appears to want to have all the power to make these decisions in her office.”

But Wynne said the reason she agreed to meet the opposition leaders was to get their ideas on campaign finance reform.

“I understand that they’re very interested in the subject and they have input that they can bring from their benches and beyond _ and that we then have a very full discussion of that legislation in the public realm,” she said.

“That’s what I will be proposing this afternoon.”

Brown launched another attack on the Liberals’ fundraising activities during Monday’s question period, saying Wynne recently visited the drug manufacturer Apotex after the company donated nearly $200,000 to the Liberal Party.

“Can the premier assure us that these donations are not affecting the government’s decisions,” Brown asked. “If this is all smoke and it’s not fire, then the premier would embrace a public inquiry.”

Wynne flatly rejected Brown’s allegations.

“Political donations do not buy policy decisions in my government,” she told the legislature. “Any innuendo or suggestion to the opposite is false.”

The Liberals tried again to turn the tables on Brown, claiming he “took advantage” of the rules to raise over $1.6 million for his PC leadership campaign in 2014, and has fundraisers scheduled that charge up to $10,000 a ticket.

Veteran Liberal cabinet minister Jim Bradley reached for a Bible quote to attack Brown in question period.

“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,” said Bradley. “You are living, sir … in a glass house. I advise you not to throw stones.”

Wynne said there will be legislation this spring to reform political fundraising rules, but warns there will have to be a transition period so all of the changes may not be in effect for the next election in 2018.

“There are some specific issues in terms of transition into the ban on corporate union donations, some of the timing and how we should manage those,” she said. “I’m looking forward to hearing their input when we meet this afternoon.”