Developers’ influence on the city

In a letter to the Ottawa Citizen (Developers’ influence on the city a big deal, July 17, 2010) Councillor Clive Doucet illustrates how developers’ contributions to municipal election campaigns become a “big deal.” A large majority of Councillors accepted donation from corporate sources or from people with corporate interests in the 2006 municipal election. Here are two examples:

Some 80% of Councillor Doug Thompson’s campaign donations came from corporate sources, mostly from the construction and development sectors.

Over 62% of Councillor Peter Hume’s campaign donations came from individual owners, executives or senior managers of businesses in the construction and development sectors. There were no direct contributions from corporations however.

It is apparent that many candidates do not consider the ethical dilemma they place themselves in by accepting donations from corporations as well as from individuals whose businesses might later benefit from decisions and action taken by city council. This has got to change.