NDP’s new political funding rules turn the Tories’ world upside down
There weren’t any real surprises in the Notley Government’s first Speech from the Throne yesterday, although the ban on corporate and union donations expected by nearly everyone nevertheless seemed to come as a deep shock to the still-reeling Progressive Conservatives.
So who can blame unhappy remnants of the once-mighty Tories for their wails of distress? The fund-raising rules have been tilted so heavily in their favour for so long in this province that the notion of a proverbially level playing field must make up seem like down to them!
That, presumably, explains PC Leader Ric McIver’s anguished *********** to the media yesterday that the government’s Bill 1, named An Act to Renew Democracy in Alberta with spin worthy of the Harper Government in Ottawa, “is a naked attempt to tilt the political scale in the current government’s balance!”
Not really, although the bill contains at least one provision that seems intended to drive a stake directly through the heart of the Tories – to wit, a declaration that yesterday, June 15, will be the day the new rules take effect.
Demoralized, at least $1 million in debt and with no talent or mechanism for raising money from rank-and-file members, to stick with the metaphor of the deluge this leaves Mr. McIvor and his eight PC MLAs high and dry.
Bill 2, An Act to Restore Fairness to Public Revenue, will restore a degree of progressivity to Alberta’s tax system, not dissimilar to the degree included by Jim Prentice, Alberta’s last PC premier, in his last budget in March, which was never passed by the Legislature.
Thus endeth what Ms. Notley called “Alberta’s brief and unfortunate experiment with what I’ve always said … was a regressive flat tax.”
As the authors of the speech read by Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell were careful to note: “When these changes are implemented, each and every citizen of Alberta will still be contributing by far the lowest provincial taxes in Canada.”
Other than Bill 3 – an interim supply bill needed to keep the government’s lights burning and possibly the only other legislation on the agenda for the NDP’s two-week spring session – the timing and details of other policies deemed worthy of mention in the speech were vague. These included more funding for health care, education and other public services, a review of resource royalties that will take place eventually, “real leadership” on the environment, a passing reference to fair pay for people on the minimum wage, and a Canadian Energy Strategy.
The latter is about as likely to be looked on with favour by the current federal government as it was when a suggestion on a similar theme was proposed by Alison Redford, who not so long ago was premier of Alberta too. But, who knows, perhaps political change can come to Ottawa in time for at least part of the next Alberta session in the fall. Stranger things have happened – indeed, they just did!
Alberta PoliticsThe Speech from the Throne: NDP’s new political funding rules turn the Tories’ world upside down - Alberta Politics
From their new home in the opposition benches, the message from PC interim leader Ric McIver against banning corporate donations was incredibly tone deaf. Mr. McIver’s opposition to the ban is not ideological (the Wildrose Party supports the ban) but purely practical. The PC Party relies heavily upon corporate donors for the large majority of its donations, unlike the NDP and Wildrose parties which have cultivated a large individual donor base.
A report released by the Parkland Institute last week showed that the PC Party received more than $630,000 from corporate donors during the first three-months of 2015, compared to $151,000 in individual donations of $251 or over.
During the recent election, PC leader Jim Prentice faced harsh criticism for refusing to raise corporate tax in the provincial budget while personal income taxes and many fees were increased. Culminating with a disastrous press conference held by four CEOs supporting the PCs, the corporate taxes issue led many Albertans to believe that the PCs were protecting their major donors rather than the best interests of the province.
Marking a clear break from the previous PC government, Ms. Notley reached out to the opposition parties in the first day of the new legislative session, announcing the formation of two new multi-party committees.
Lesser Slave Lake NDP MLA Danielle Larivee, a Registered Nurse, and Calgary-Mountain View Liberal MLA David Swann, a physician, will co-chair a mental health review committee. And Ms. Notley announced that she and Wildrose leader Brian Jean will cooperate in the creation of a special legislative committee composed of nine government MLAs and eight opposition MLAs that will “review Alberta’s elections, whisteblower and conflict of interest legislation” (they should look at banning corporate and union donations in municipal elections as well).
First NDP Throne Speech on message. McIver Tories totally tone deaf in opposition. | daveberta.ca - Alberta Politics
There weren’t any real surprises in the Notley Government’s first Speech from the Throne yesterday, although the ban on corporate and union donations expected by nearly everyone nevertheless seemed to come as a deep shock to the still-reeling Progressive Conservatives.
So who can blame unhappy remnants of the once-mighty Tories for their wails of distress? The fund-raising rules have been tilted so heavily in their favour for so long in this province that the notion of a proverbially level playing field must make up seem like down to them!
That, presumably, explains PC Leader Ric McIver’s anguished *********** to the media yesterday that the government’s Bill 1, named An Act to Renew Democracy in Alberta with spin worthy of the Harper Government in Ottawa, “is a naked attempt to tilt the political scale in the current government’s balance!”
Not really, although the bill contains at least one provision that seems intended to drive a stake directly through the heart of the Tories – to wit, a declaration that yesterday, June 15, will be the day the new rules take effect.
Demoralized, at least $1 million in debt and with no talent or mechanism for raising money from rank-and-file members, to stick with the metaphor of the deluge this leaves Mr. McIvor and his eight PC MLAs high and dry.
Bill 2, An Act to Restore Fairness to Public Revenue, will restore a degree of progressivity to Alberta’s tax system, not dissimilar to the degree included by Jim Prentice, Alberta’s last PC premier, in his last budget in March, which was never passed by the Legislature.
Thus endeth what Ms. Notley called “Alberta’s brief and unfortunate experiment with what I’ve always said … was a regressive flat tax.”
As the authors of the speech read by Lieutenant Governor Lois Mitchell were careful to note: “When these changes are implemented, each and every citizen of Alberta will still be contributing by far the lowest provincial taxes in Canada.”
Other than Bill 3 – an interim supply bill needed to keep the government’s lights burning and possibly the only other legislation on the agenda for the NDP’s two-week spring session – the timing and details of other policies deemed worthy of mention in the speech were vague. These included more funding for health care, education and other public services, a review of resource royalties that will take place eventually, “real leadership” on the environment, a passing reference to fair pay for people on the minimum wage, and a Canadian Energy Strategy.
The latter is about as likely to be looked on with favour by the current federal government as it was when a suggestion on a similar theme was proposed by Alison Redford, who not so long ago was premier of Alberta too. But, who knows, perhaps political change can come to Ottawa in time for at least part of the next Alberta session in the fall. Stranger things have happened – indeed, they just did!
Alberta PoliticsThe Speech from the Throne: NDP’s new political funding rules turn the Tories’ world upside down - Alberta Politics
From their new home in the opposition benches, the message from PC interim leader Ric McIver against banning corporate donations was incredibly tone deaf. Mr. McIver’s opposition to the ban is not ideological (the Wildrose Party supports the ban) but purely practical. The PC Party relies heavily upon corporate donors for the large majority of its donations, unlike the NDP and Wildrose parties which have cultivated a large individual donor base.
A report released by the Parkland Institute last week showed that the PC Party received more than $630,000 from corporate donors during the first three-months of 2015, compared to $151,000 in individual donations of $251 or over.
During the recent election, PC leader Jim Prentice faced harsh criticism for refusing to raise corporate tax in the provincial budget while personal income taxes and many fees were increased. Culminating with a disastrous press conference held by four CEOs supporting the PCs, the corporate taxes issue led many Albertans to believe that the PCs were protecting their major donors rather than the best interests of the province.
Marking a clear break from the previous PC government, Ms. Notley reached out to the opposition parties in the first day of the new legislative session, announcing the formation of two new multi-party committees.
Lesser Slave Lake NDP MLA Danielle Larivee, a Registered Nurse, and Calgary-Mountain View Liberal MLA David Swann, a physician, will co-chair a mental health review committee. And Ms. Notley announced that she and Wildrose leader Brian Jean will cooperate in the creation of a special legislative committee composed of nine government MLAs and eight opposition MLAs that will “review Alberta’s elections, whisteblower and conflict of interest legislation” (they should look at banning corporate and union donations in municipal elections as well).
First NDP Throne Speech on message. McIver Tories totally tone deaf in opposition. | daveberta.ca - Alberta Politics