One of the reasons I like this $1,000 limit in Bill C-2 is that it gives me a raise in pay of a couple of thousand dollars a year. I won't be able to donate as much as I currently do, but I don't approve of this idea of moving it up to $2,000. I think the spirit of this bill, the accountability nature of this bill, is to reconnect with the grassroots. Most of the clauses in this bill I think seek to reconnect with Canadians in a real way, and this is one of those clauses that, if for no other reason than the symbolism that we're going to take big money out of politics, warrants our support.
The other side of the coin, which I realize Mr. Owen's amendment doesn't deal with, is the banning of union and corporate donations altogether. That remedies a terrible injustice that was in Bill C-24.
My own union, the carpenter's union, has 168 independent locals across the country--I'll be very brief with this--and we were allowed to donate a total of $1,000, all 168 combined, whereas Robin's Donuts or Tim Hortons has 1,000 franchises and they can donate $1,000 each. We found it completely unsatisfactory. So I welcome this change that unions and businesses and corporations...nada, not a penny.
People down to $1,000 each--we'll just find more people. That's the thing, get more people engaged in the political process. It's a plus, it's a bonus. There are very few donors giving larger than $1,000 in our party anyway. It's not going to hurt us or our ability to operate, and I think other parties would benefit from this. It forces them to get in touch with those smaller ma and pa $50 and $100 donors. You only need more of them.