Dear Editor,
With TC Energy’s proposed pumped storage hydroelectric facility on the table, this municipal election in Meaford is shaping up to be a sensitive, even emotional, one. Candidates hold views from supportive to opposed, and residents deserve confidence that the outcome is decided by local voices.
Under Ontario’s rules, only individuals who are resident in Ontario may contribute to a candidate’s campaign or to third-party advertisers. Corporations, unincorporated associations, and charities may not, and the limits cover goods and services as well as money.
I have no reason to think these rules are being broken in Meaford, but financial statements are not filed until after election day, so voters cannot check beforehand. I ask every candidate, whatever their position on the project, to state publicly that all contributions received, of every kind, comply with Ontario’s requirements, and to disclose major donors before voting day. Third-party advertisers should also identify that their funding sources comply.
A clear statement before advance voting begins would show that Meaford’s decision is being shaped by the people who live here.
Craig Jowett, Meaford
