No More Political Donations: CUPE

[May 27, 2008 02:32 PM]

For Immediate Release:
May 27, 2008

REGINA: The membership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Saskatchewan, the largest union in the province, confirms today that that they are in favour of reform to political party donation regulations; saying that they would prefer not to donate to political candidates, provided corporations and out-of-province interests are also restricted from doing so.

“It’s been suggested in the legislature that neither corporations nor unions should be allowed to financially prop up the candidate of their choice,” said CUPE Saskatchewan president Tom Graham. “The members of our union whole-heartedly agree, and are calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to modernize the province’s donation policy, and ensure that no elected officials owe anybody any favours.”

Quebec and Manitoba already have legislation preventing both corporations and unions from donating to political parties, and all but four provinces limit donation amounts, unlike Saskatchewan.

“We, as a union, have little desire to contribute money to political parties,” said Graham. “But, we do so in self-defense. Both the New Democratic Party and the Saskatchewan Party receive far more from businesses than they do from unions.”

CUPE Saskatchewan contributed financially to some candidates prior to the 2007 general election. The union has a policy of selective support for individual candidates. Members of local 1975 and 1975-01, who were on strike at the time of the general election, were also given the option of donating in-kind support to any party of their choice in place of walking a shift on their picket lines.

“It is, and always has been, an affront to democracy that wealth can buy political power,” said Graham. “Candidates should spend more time wearing out their shoes on doorsteps in their constituency during an election campaign. Companies can’t vote in our elections, much less Alberta-based companies, so why should the campaign trail lead there?”

CUPE encourages legislators to consider restricting donors to eligible voters in Saskatchewan, with a limit for each individual, at most, equal to the limits imposed in Manitoba. Additional regulations may be explored to ensure that donors contribute in the constituency in which they are registered to vote; rural candidates are properly funded for the travel necessary to visit constituents during the writ period; or candidates in low-income areas are able to campaign in the constituency.

“We don’t need high-priced advertising campaigns telling us how to vote,” said Graham. “We just need candidates telling us, the voters, what they can do to make our constituencies and our province a better place.”

CUPE is the largest union in Saskatchewan and in Canada. CUPE Saskatchewan represents 27,000 public sector workers in the province who work at health care facilities, municipalities, school boards, universities, libraries and community-based organizations.

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For more information, contact:
Tom Graham, president: (306) 229-8171
Erin Morrison: 527-2084

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