(Kelly Bliduk, photo.)
A political scientist at Memorial University is crying over recent comments by Prime Minister Andrew Fury, who said restrictions should be placed on campaign donations.
Fury responded to reports that former PC leader Ches Crosby had donated $ 300,000 of his own funds to the party’s latest election campaign.
Blidook called the donation “strange,” but said he was less concerned about Crosbie’s contribution than the fact that there were no restrictions on campaign donations.
He says the main concern is not that the leader will donate this level of funding, but that it seems everyone can. Blidook says the bigger problem is whether a corporation, union or any other outside interest has made that kind of donation, raising questions about whether the country will be obligated to make decisions or policy changes in their favor. “What shows all this,” Bliduk says, “is that someone can come and do it.”
Blidook says the provincial government has promised to work on electoral reform, but has not yet fulfilled its commitments years ago.
He did not strike back, calling for commitments made in 2015, the last year of the Liberal majority government, when a commission to decide on electoral reform was hit, but “we later saw that this was just cynical rubbish.” .
Justice Minister John Hogan said the All-Party Committee, which is reviewing the province’s Election Law, is planning public consultations as it continues to make progress.
Hogan was answering media questions about electoral reform and election financing.
Hogan says the rules and guidelines for funding are contained in the Election Act, which he says is being revised.
He is sure that this will be something to discuss whether there should be restrictions on donations and if so, what those restrictions should be.
PC leader David Brazil says members of his party are part of the review committee and says this is something they are considering.
“We will look at what other jurisdictions are doing,” Brazil said, “and be aware of the fact that political parties must function in an operational way.”
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