Ald. Ric McIver explains his stance on election finance reform
Ald. Joe Ceci likens the current City of Calgary election finance rules to the Wild West – there’s no law and politicians can blast away and spend as much as they like during the upcoming election in October, 2010. While Mayor Dave Bronconnier has proposed tightening up the rules, Ald. Ric McIver says this is a bit of smoke and mirrors because he has twice introduced notices of motion to Council and both times his colleagues buried the proposal in committee, never to see the light of day again.
Conservative backbencher Jeff Johnson introduced Bill 203, a private member’s bill, during the last sitting of the Alberta legislature in an effort to clean up municipal elections, widely regarded as having the loosest rules of any Canadian province.
Mr. Johnson’s bill passed its third reading in May and has been given Royal Assent, but has not yet been proclaimed by the Stelmac government. Until it is proclaimed it does not have the force of law and the current wide-open rules are in force.
Mr. Ceci notes that on average Calgary aldermen spend $40,000 during an election campaign. In recent years, however, some have spent as much as four times that amount. He worries that aldermen are spending too much time fund raising and that elections will go to the highest spender, not the most qualified candidate.
Mr. McIver’s notice of motion would have limited campaign spending to $1 per voter. This would create a level playing field and allow challengers to properly oppose incumbents, who under the current system have a significant advantage.
According to media reports, local real estate developers contribute just a bit under 30 per cent of all campaign contributions. Both aldermen are worried that financial largesse by the developers may lead to the appearance of impropriety, especially during economic booms when land is at a premium and developers compete for access.
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