By Alex McCuaig

Campaign concerns

AUMA takes issue with province’s new local election laws

Jul 24, 2020 | 12:31 PM

CALGARY – The head of the provincial body representing Alberta’s cities is saying the province didn’t listen to concerns of municipalities in drawing up new laws governing local elections.

The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) had three asks of the Alberta government: maintain contribution limits to $4,000 for municipal elections, allow cities to disclose donor lists prior to an election and make third-party advertising transparent and accountable.

The new legislation will now allow for a maximum of $5,000 per candidate, per election and will no longer allow for municipalities to have bylaws requiring pre-election donor list publication

Barry Morishita, AUMA president and Brooks mayor, says the province didn’t listen to the requests which the organization says would have safeguarded fair and democratic local elections.

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“The process in getting elected is as important as getting elected,” said Morishita, adding the trio of recommendations would have strengthened the legislation which came into force on Thursday. “We’re very disappointed in that rejection.”

Morishita says the legislation does have some good points, including ensuring incumbents can’t roll over donations from previous elections, giving new candidates a level playing field.

The new rules as a whole, however, “can create a situation where there is some unfair influence,” said Morishita.

And he fears the new legislation will result in the creeping in of partisan politics in what has been traditionally politically non-affiliated municipal bodies.

“What party politics does is lock elected officials into situations at the local level where you have a predetermined outcome or a predetermined policy,” said Morishita.

The AUMA is calling on the province and Municipal Affairs Minister Kaycee Madu to improve its consultation process with municipalities.