FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 13, 2016
QUEEN’S PARK – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP weighed in on the Ontario government’s high-priced private fundraisers during debate in the Ontario Legislature this week.
“My position, really, is that big money has skewed policy, it’s skewing decision-making, and I consider it a threat to our long tradition of democracy,” Barrett said in the Legislature. “It fosters lobbying, it fosters influence-peddling and it obviously fosters political advertising.”
Barrett feels there is cynicism and distrust of what is seen as a rigged system, bought and paid for by big unions, big corporations and other special interest groups. “It’s time to curtail the influence of special interests and take the big money out of the process,” Barrett said.
“I sincerely feel that the system we have is broken, it’s corrupt and it’s not to be trusted,” Barrett said in the House. “I think people are correct when they see an elected representative no longer representing the people who voted them in and essentially serving as a puppet of those who are writing the cheques.”
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For more information contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
OFFICIAL HANSARD
Monday, April 13, 2016
Mr. Toby Barrett: As we heard, two of the members opposite did raise the issue of campaign financing and fundraising scandals. My position, really, is that big money has skewed policy, it’s skewing decision-making, and I consider it a threat to our long tradition of democracy. It fosters lobbying, it fosters influence-peddling and it obviously fosters political advertising.
Down my way, there is cynicism and there is distrust of what many consider a rigged system, a system bought and paid for by those who are wealthy and those who are powerful. It’s time to curtail the lobbyists and the influence of special interests and take the big money out of the process. When you do that, you give the power back to the elected representative.
We have a system now where someone who is beholden to their benefactor hands that power over to that person who is raising the money for them. It skews the system, whether it’s $9 million in political advertising by third parties during an election process or the donations that have been mentioned across the way from companies, unions, individuals, non-profit organizations and other shadow organizations that pull things together, both provincially and at the riding level.
I sincerely feel that the system we have is broken, it’s corrupt and it’s not to be trusted. I think people are correct when they see an elected representative no longer representing the people who voted them in and essentially serving as a puppet of those who are writing the cheques.