TORONTO — Premier Kathleen Wynne says with a byelection on the horizon, fundraising rules around those interim races may change before she proposes broader reforms this spring.
Wynne has promised to introduce legislation to ban corporate and union donations, among other changes, amid public outcry over political fundraising in Ontario and targets set for Liberal cabinet ministers.
She is meeting Monday with the opposition leaders to discuss what changes they would like to see, and whether those changes should take place before a byelection in Scarborough-Rough River that Wynne is expected to call in the coming months.
The byelection was prompted by the resignation of Liberal Bas Balkissoon.
The Liberals raised $1.6 million during a byelection in Whitby-Oshawa earlier this year — far more than the party is allowed to spend during that campaign, meaning most of that money would go to the party coffers.
Speaking today in Barrie, Wynne says being able to raise more money during a byelection than a party is allowed to spend is not reasonable, so that needs to change as part of overall fundraising reforms.
