Leader Patrick Brown Presents Proposal to Clean Up Liberal Fundraising Mess

QUEEN’S PARK – This morning, Leader of the Official Opposition Patrick Brown was joined by MPP Bill Walker (Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound) to present the Ontario PC Caucus’ six-point plan to clean up political financing in Ontario. 

“Serious allegations have been raised in the media as to the conduct of this government, and the perception is growing that it may have turned doing government business into a money-making machine for the Ontario Liberal Party,” said Brown. “Integrity is the foundation of trust with the people of Ontario. The people of Ontario have lost trust in this government.”
While the Liberal Government has promised to reform the current system, the Ontario PC Caucus believes we can’t fix Ontario’s political fundraising without knowing just how broken it is.
“The reality is this government doesn’t want to talk about their past conduct,” added Brown. “The only reason they are talking about changing the rules now is because it looks like they got caught.”
As a result, the Ontario PC Caucus is demanding a Public Inquiry into the awarding of government contracts, grants and contributions to corporations and other entities who made donations to the governing party.
“The public and the opposition have been asking the government questions, and the Premier has refused to answer,” concluded Brown. “The Wynne Liberals are not looking out for the best interests of Ontario; they are looking out for their own political survival. The people of Ontario deserve to know nothing less than the truth.”
In addition to the Inquiry, the Ontario PC Caucus is also asking for the creation of a Special Select Committee with equal representation from all parties to provide input from across the province, limits to third-party special interest advertising, a complete phase-out of union and corporate donations, an end to Ministerial fundraising targets, and a strengthening of Lobbying restrictions.
MPP Bill Walker who has previously pushed for limits to third-party advertising added, “In the last election special interests purchased almost $9-million in political advertising. Ontario is the wild west of election financing. We believe that elections must be fair, where everyone gets a fair shot. As a result changes to election financing rules must include limits to this unaccountable spending that level the playing field for Ontarians.”

The full language of the Ontario PC Caucus’ plan can be found below:

• Immediately call a Public Inquiry into the allegations of government contracts, grants, and contributions being awarded to corporations and other entities who made donations to the governing party.
• Creation of a Special Select Committee with equal representation from all parties that will take public input at Queen’s Park and across the province. This committee would also include the Integrity Commissioner, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer.
• Limit Third Party Advertising in line with other Canadian jurisdictions prior to the next election.
• Completely phase out donations from corporations, unions, and associations from provincial politics (both for general and leadership elections) prior to the next election.
• Put an immediate end to fundraising targets by ministers and solicitation of funds from stakeholders within a Minister’s portfolio.
• Strengthen Lobbying restrictions for ministers and their staff, including in-service rules and post-service cooling off periods.