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“The government’s Fair Elections Financing Act will give the power of governance back to the people and keep big money interests at bay.” — Mike Parker, HSAA President
Edmonton (30 Nov. 2016) — Alberta’s proposed electoral financing rules will go a long way to making our governments more accountable to the citizens of Alberta rather than corporations, says Mike Parker, President of Health Sciences Association (HSAA/NUPGE).
NDP government getting big money interests out of Alberta governance
“The government’s Fair Elections Financing Act will give the power of governance back to the people and keep big money interests at bay,” says Parker. “We only have to look to the south of the Canadian border to see how elections and elected officials are essentially bought by individuals and companies with deep pockets. How is someone able to effectively govern on behalf of their constituents when their first thought is how a particular decision will impact their biggest donors?"
Parker continued, "Unions, in the past, have tried to balance the contributions of corporations, but it’s really been a matter of David versus Goliath. We could never come close to matching their bank rolls. Is it any wonder that we have then seen continual attacks on labour laws, taxation loopholes for the rich and a systematic dismantling of the public service?”
Measures put in place to hold third-parties accountable for advertising outside elections
Parker is also pleased with the accountability that will be introduced for third-parties who wish to advertise outside of election periods.
“We certainly have things to say about matters that impact our members, and we are not afraid of staking our reputation on those comments,” he says. “Too often, private groups like to create a false narrative that they hope will serve their individual interests. Albertans should know who is behind these assertions in order to evaluate the impacts."
“This really brings Alberta into line with most other provinces in Canada and is a long time coming. As we see on the federal level, political parties often back away from their election promises when it suits them. HSAA/NUPGE applauds the Alberta government in this case for following through on its commitments," Parker said.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 370,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE