It is never too late to do the right thing.
The Yukon NDP bill to ban corporate, union and Outside donations to Yukon political parties - and limit them only to Yukoners - is long overdue. The Yukon Party’s hasty response, calling it a “political stunt,” fails to deal with the merits or substance of the proposal.
The NDP proposal, including a $1,500 cap on donations, appears to be modeled on federal rules which have been around for a generation.
Yukoners are entitled to expect our legislators to take the time to deal with this issue, which is already on the public agenda in Alberta, Ontario and B.C.
There is no compelling reason to delay debate and a vote on this bill until after our next election. I’ve read the bill: it is only three pages long and an easy read.
We deserve to know where our elected officials stand on this bill. Anyone who opposes this bill should have the courage to say so, and not see it die the death of a thousand excuses.
Yukon elections should not be for sale to corporations, unions or outside money. It is time to end the practice of cash for access.
Yukoners are not naive. They know that when Outside corporations and unions donate to our political parties, they expect to have influence.
We don’t let unions and corporations vote in our elections. We should not let their money influence them either.
Rod Snow
Whitehorse