Municipal elections reform: We won, big time

from Claire Malcolmson Campaign Fairness

Yesterday the Ontario government voted to pass Bill 181, the Municipal Elections Modernization Act. It says:
– Municipalities and school boards MUST ban corporate and union contributions to municipal election campaigns.
– It gives municipalities the option to used ranked ballots in Council elections.
– And it regulates third party spending on candidates during election campaigns, but is now silent on third party advertising regarding “issues”.

We are delighted with these results and changes to the bill.

We couldn’t have done it without the persistence of people like you who, for years, told the province you supported this ban. Good job. Can you feel us patting you on the back?

We must commend the leadership, determination, and generosity of Robert Eisenberg, the Co-founder and President of Campaign Fairness, and the driving force behind the Rescue Lake Simcoe Coalition and Campaign Fairness (which succeeded in getting the Lake Simcoe Protection Act.) He is a stellar example of the difference one person can make.

I encourage you to take a minute to thank Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Hon. Ted McMeekin, and the NDP critic Percy Hatfield, and PC critic Ernie Hardeman for their attention to municipal campaign finance reform, and for their constructive amendments to Bill 181. Without these people and their staff, we would not have won our campaign.
tmcmeekin.mpp@liberal.ola.org
PHatfield-QP@ndp.on.ca
ernie.hardeman@pc.ola.org
More MPP contact information: http://www.ontla.on.ca/lao/en/members/

Another thanks must go to our dedicated Board members: David Donnelly, Jack Gibbons, Bob MacDermid, and our contract staff Nadia Gibbons, Andrew Keenan, and Jenny Lugar. You were great and you really made a difference!

Our campaign is now over. But if you want to find out more and read news stories about our campaign, go to: www.CampaignFairness.com

What a nice way to start the summer!