First off, thanks for putting your name on the ballot.  I really mean it.  Second, how about you disclose your donors before election day?

Yes, yes you need to disclose names of donors who give over $100 once the whole messy election is over.  Those disclosures are available to members of the public if they go into City Hall and ask for the information.  But I’d really like to know who’s backing candidates BEFORE voting, not after.  I don’t believe politicians are controlled by their donors - but I do believe who you take money from gives voters a little insight into your worldview.

For instance, if you take money from developers, I’d like to know that.  If over 80 per cent of your donations are from developers (or unions, or ANY interest group), I’d REALLY like to know that.  Ideally I’d like to see a nice mix of donors so that a Councillor can vote their conscience (i.e. for the overall public good) without worrying about losing a large chunk of their political financing.

Yes, that pesky media may make your donors into an uncomfortable story; your campaign treasurer may have some extra work to do; people might ask questions, or might change votes (in your favour, or against) based on who you’re taking money from.  But you might just reduce public cynicism a wee bit (you know, avoid rumours that powerful interests control the city…interests with the power to move City Hall to unoccupied downtown rental properties), and you might even think twice about who you take money from, and why. 

So here are two challenges - one to candidates and the other to the City Clerks:

1. I challenge candidates to proactively disclose donations over $100 before Election Day - put them on a website for all to see.  (If you don’t have a website, blog, or some form of online communication, I’d be happy to host your disclosure on my Blog.)  Your donors who give over $100 already know their names will be disclosed after the election, so why not now?  You know, that whole openness and transparency thing can feel kind of good inside!

2. I request that the City Clerk publically post post-election disclosures online; don’t make some citizen group (Imagine London did it last time) request the information and post it.  Elections Canada and Ontario have been doing it for years, so we’re not starting a revolution here. Update: I’m told by one of my legions of readers that Bill 212 now requires that donations must be posted online after elections.  Thanks Ontario Government!  Even more reason for local candidates to do something that’ll have to happen eventually anyway.

Thanks for listening, and happy campaigning.

On a side note, I can’t find the 2006 returns - they used to be on the Imagine London website, but that site now seems defunct.  I guess I could just go into City Hall, but that’s so 1973.