Canada News
Saskatchewan NDP leadership candidate makes promise no corporate, union money
SASKATOON — Saskatchewan NDP leadership candidate Ryan Meili is pledging to not accept donations from corporations or unions.
The Saskatoon-Meewasin MLA says he will only fundraise through individual donors.
He says it’s time to update Saskatchewan’s campaign finance laws to bring them in line with the rest of the country.
The physician-turned-politician also says he would introduce strict new accountability rules for party donations if elected leader and, eventually, premier.
Meili says trust is a problem in Canadian politics.
The NDP leadership convention takes place on March 6, 2018, in Regina.
“Saskatchewan has the worst level of stringent regulations around corporate donations,” Meili said Friday. “We have companies making tens of thousands of dollars of donations. Companies from Alberta, companies that are directly linked to contracts that are coming out of this government.”
He went on to say he hopes fellow leadership contender Regina Rosemont MLA Trent Wotherspoon will follow his lead in not accepting corporate and union donations.