Toronto city councillors have decided they will no longer accept campaign donations from corporations or unions, putting pressure on the provincial government to ban the practice in all municipalities across Ontario. The Bill was passed with 29 – 12 vote in Toronto City Council.

This is kind of a revolutionary day. We’ve broken the dam of resistance.

-         Councillor Michael Walker

“The City of Toronto is showing its leadership here. It’s the first step to get rid of this kind of influence. It’s about removing the unfairness and discrimination that’s involved in the system that allows corporate owners to give twice, once in their own name, and once through their corporation or corporations.”

-         Robert MacDermid -  York University political science professor and advocate of campaign finance reform

“Let’s face it, the amount of money you can raise does have an impact on who gets elected. And if you allow corporate donations, you allow those people who are a small group far more impact on the election than a single person”

-         Mayor David Miller

Surprisingly, opponents to the ban spanned the political spectrum, including Councillors Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34, Don Valley East) and Howard Moscoe (Ward 15. Eglinton-Lawrence), who argued corporate donations would simply go underground, under individual names.

It creates less transparency. Many of these names would not be familiar to most of the public.

-         Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34 Don Valley East)

The ban is “a sham and a farce” because campaigns could still accept help from union volunteers or staff loaned from businesses.

Councillor Maria Augimeri (Ward 9, York Centre)

If a councillor has received a corporate donation, people think they can judge “whether you are corrupt.”

“I don’t think that’s the case. Anyone around this table would be foolish to jeopardize their integrity on the basis that somebody gave them a few dollars,” she said. (Donors can donate up to $750 to a campaign.) “That is not a large amount of money to sell your soul for.”

Councillor Suzan Hall (Ward 1, Etobicoke North)

“I’ve never heard someone say: Please, please keep corporate and union donations,”

Councillor Cliff Jenkins (Ward 25, Don Valley West)  

Candidates should be required to publish the names of their contributors on the city website at least one week prior to voting day. Names not published would not qualify for the rebates the city gives to campaign contributors.

Councillor Adam Vaughan (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina)