Media executive attacks election financing law

A top official of CanWest Global Communications Corp., a major donor to federal political parties and candidates, has denounced a new campaign finance law that severely restricts political donations by corporations.

David Asper, CanWest's executive vice-president, said the law prohibits him from supporting the candidates and parties he wants to support while sending public money to parties he opposes, such as the separatist Bloc Quebecois.

"I find it absolutely offensive," Asper said. "I have a right to support whoever I want to support, or not support. That right has been taken away."

The law, which is in effect for the first time during the current general election campaign, bans corporations and labour unions from donating to political parties and limits their donations to candidates and riding associations to $1,000 for the election period.

The law, introduced by the Liberals under former prime minister Jean Chretien, limits donations by individuals to a total of $5,000 per year. Before this year, there were no limits on corporate, union or personal donations to political parties.

Another key element of the new law is that it seeks to replace the lost corporate and union cash with money from the public treasury.

Registered parties that receive at least two per cent of the popular vote now receive an annual public subsidy of $1.75 for every vote they received in the previous general election.

Winnipeg-based CanWest is one of the biggest political donors in Manitoba, giving a total of more than $100,000 to federal candidates and parties in the 2000 general election and the 2001 and 2002 fiscal years, reports filed with Elections Canada show.

Most, but not all, of the money went to the Liberal party and Liberal candidates.

Asper said the CanWest example undermines the argument that corporations that are major political donors are able to unduly influence public policy.

His company has not received favourable federal treatment or rulings that would suggest a quid pro quo, he said.

CanWest makes political donations because "we believe in the democratic process; we believe in supporting parties as a principle and value," Asper said.

"I would hope that the next government that gets elected would repeal this law," he said, adding that he was speaking personally.

Critics have pointed out that the law favours the Liberals as the governing party because it gives the most money to the party that wins the most votes. But Asper said it could come back to haunt the Grits if they lose the election or win only a minority government.

Other analysts have praised the new law as one that helps level the political playing field in Canada and addresses what was at least a public perception of undue corporate influence on Parliament.

Duff Conacher, co-ordinator of Democracy Watch in Ottawa, said the law does not go far enough.

"The law is a step forward in terms of new limits and new disclosure, but the limits are too high and there's still a disclosure loophole," Conacher said.

Corporate giving should be banned entirely, he said. For individuals, "we believe even $1,000 would be high but ... that's where the limit should be set."