Fuck this bullshit. Trump is showing the world that you can make massive change for the betterment of the majority in months, not years. The Fat Fuck in Ontario should see an election every year to assess his competence, because the fucker is really failing us right now. These elected pieces of shit should fix shit immediately, or go to the barn door to get evicted from their positions. Then we might get intelligent people in power. The government should not be allowed to deficit spend in any year, unless the voters okay it is a referendum, and all voters take out a loan personally to pay for it. That will stop this debt financing in its tracks immediately.
Ontario Proposes Legislation to End Fixed Election Dates, Increase Party Contributions to $5,000
Jennifer Cowan
10/28/2025|Updated: 10/28/2025
The Ontario government has announced a proposal to eliminate fixed election dates as part of a series of reforms that would also increase the cap for political donations to $5,000 and establish permanent public funding for political parties.
Ontario Attorney General Doug Downey announced the proposed changes in an Oct. 27 statement, saying the upcoming legislation would return the province to its roots and do away with “American-style” elections.
If the legislation becomes law, it will reverse Ontario’s fixed election date rules that were first introduced 20 years ago by the Dalton McGuinty Liberals.
“The proposed reforms will return Ontario to an electoral process that served our province well for nearly a century and a half, prior to the imposition of American-style fixed election dates,” Downey said in the statement.
The rules implemented by the McGuinty government in 2005 stipulate that elections are to be held every four years, although the premier has the authority to call for elections prior to the four-year mark.
If the newly proposed legislation becomes law, the current Progressive Conservative government led by Premier Doug Ford would have a five-year mandate maximum instead of four, with the next election set for 2030 instead of 2029.
Downey indicated that the premier will retain the ability to initiate an early election under the new legislation, similar to Ford’s move in February when he requested a snap election approximately one year and four months prior to the scheduled June 2026 date. Ford said at the time that he needed a new mandate to respond to the tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
“With these reforms, governments will be better positioned to respond to changing circumstances and external threats, including by seeking a fresh mandate from the people of Ontario when it’s needed,” Downey said.
Additional Reforms
The Ford government is also proposing reforms to the Election Finances Act that would raise the yearly donation limit for individuals contributing to a political party from $3,400 to $5,000 beginning next year, with subsequent increases tied to inflation rates.
Downey noted that the donation limit change would align with or be lower than the highest permissible amount in other provinces, including Manitoba, Alberta, and Nova Scotia.
The proposed legislation, if approved at Queen’s Park, would establish a permanent quarterly subsidy per vote for political parties. The move follows the Ford government’s enactment of a law just before this year’s election announcement that temporarily extends the subsidy until 2027.
The former Liberal government led by Kathleen Wynne implemented per-vote subsidies to compensate for the reduction in corporate and union contributions, which it banned, as well as lowered individual limits amid a cash-for-access fundraiser scandal in 2016.
Keeping the per-vote subsidy ensures “a balance of public and private spending in elections,” Downey wrote, noting that the measure was recommended by the chief electoral officer following the 2022 provincial election.
The subsidy allocates $2.54 to each party for every vote received on an annual basis. Based on the outcomes of the 2025 election, the Progressive Conservatives would receive $5.5 million, the Liberals $3.8 million, the NDP $2.4 million, and the Greens approximately $616,000.
Downey is also suggesting the removal of pre-election spending restrictions for third parties and political parties. These restrictions were established to control the advertising that groups, such as unions, can do immediately before spending limits take effect during a fixed-date election timeframe.
The Supreme Court of Canada overturned a law from the Ford government earlier this year that imposed greater limitations on the spending of third parties during the pre-election period. The court ruled in March that the law was constitutionally invalid because it infringed on section 3 of the Charter.Opposition Reaction
Both the NDP and the Liberals have suggested that the proposed rule changes are self-serving.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles said the proposed increase in donation limits is being made to serve the interests of the current government.
“The Ford government has a track record of favouring big donors and insiders over the people of Ontario,” she said in a media statement. “By increasing donation limits, this government is only making things worse.”
Liberal parliamentary leader John Fraser said the proposed legislation is a miscalculation amid other more pressing priorities.
“Here’s the thing—700,000 people are out of work,” Fraser said at an Oct. 27 press conference. “Hundreds of thousands of children rely on food banks. Our schools aren’t working the way they should be. Our hospitals aren’t working the way they should be. Times are tough, and this is the premier’s priority, taking care of himself, taking care of his party, taking care of his friends.”
The proposed changes are expected to be tabled in the coming weeks and, if approved in the legislature, will become law immediately after receiving royal assent from the Lieutenant Governor.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report. |
