The quote above is from an excellent Opinion article in today's Waterloo Region Record by Luisa D'Amato. That is the part in quotes is Luisa's, the last three words are mine. Luisa is appropriately complaining that Region of Waterloo councillors have supported a Motion by councillor Jim Erb to ask the province to change their rules such that the addresses of donors over $100 no longer have to be made public. Now as Luisa suggests there are lots of families in K-W with the same last names as big shot developers who are neither related to them nor have any connection. The addresses can be matched with public addresses of well known local individuals and hence addresses confirm the identity of donors which after all is the whole idea of making them public in the first place.
There is a second issue however. Yes industrious and curious electors can read the financial statements posted by municipal candidates usually on the municipal website. These are to be posted sometime in early to mid March months AFTER the election. WOW! O.K. Luisa has a strong point that that is better than not at all. However I suspect that less than 5% of voters actually look these candidate Financial Statements up and read the. Hence only 5% ever learn that developers are buying...oops I mean donating to candidates en masse. What actually should be happening is that corporate (especially developers/planners etc.) donations should be available for each candidate BEFORE the election. If you favour more growth then vote for those people supported by our biggest developers and home builders etc. Otherwise vote for others. After the fact knowledge firstly will quickly be forgotten and is knowledge that voters needed in oreder to vote according to their wishes of our combined future.
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