A citizens jury summoned to make recommendations on political party financing has advised Quebec's chief electoral officer to maintain the ban on corporate and union donations, and to prohibit anonymous donations.
The six-man, six-woman jury was made up of people from 12 regions of the province, randomly selected from the voters list.
Chief electoral officer Marcel Blanchet announced plans for the jury in November, in an effort to "fuel the debate on the funding of Quebec's political parties at the provincial and municipal levels."
The announcement came following Quebec municipal elections, held on Nov. 1. In Montreal, the election campaign was dominated by allegations of corruption and illegal campaign contributions.
Claude Bechard, the minister responsible for electoral reform, tabled a bill on party financing at the end of November.
The proposed legislation called for a ban on anonymous donations, and suggested that any company caught breaking the law would be excluded from government contracts for five years.
Jury wants end to "vicious circle"
Among the recommendations issued Monday, the jury suggested cash donations to political parties should be limited to $50.00.
Bianka Dupaul, spokesperson for the jury, said it's up to parties, politicians, and citizens to clean up and restore the image of politics in Quebec.
"It's a vicious circle. Everyone must start (and) not wait for the other to start before you do," she said.
The recommendations will be considered when a committee begins to study the proposed Liberal bill during the next session of the National Assembly.
But the bill has been criticized by the opposition because it also includes a plan to redraw the election map and preserve a minimum number of ridings in each region -- a plan that goes against the principle of representation by population.
The opposition parties believe there should be two separate bills -- one for the financing rules; the other to determine the riding boundaries.
