Jim Watson digs in against ranked ballots, donations ban

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has reaffirmed his opposition to both ranked-ballot voting and banning corporate and union campaign donations, changes proposed by the Ontario government on Monday as part of an overhaul of the Municipal Elections Act.

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Speaking to reporters following a meeting of the city's finance and economic development committee on Tuesday, Watsondismissed the idea ofranked ballots, which allow electors to choose their first, second and third choices.

"When I go into the ballot boxI vote for my first choice, and Iwant my first choice to win, not my second or third choice,"said Watson.

"I don't believe the vast majority of people, when they go into a balloting station, want to go and water down their vote by voting for their second or third choice on the ballot."

I don't believe the vast majority of people, when they go into a balloting station, want to go and water down their vote by voting for their second or third choice on the ballot.- Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson

Watson also said he wants municipal candidates to be allowed tocontinue accepting donations from corporations and unions.

"It's a lot tougher to raise money at the municipal level forthe simple reason that we can only do it in a fixed period of time, once every four years," Watson said, referring to the fact that candidates aren't allowed to build up a war chest outside the campaign period.

That campaign period could also become shorter, as the province is recommending moving the starting line up to May 1 instead of early January in an election year.

Tax receipts for donors

Watson added that if the province wants to encourage cities to ban union and corporate donations, it should revamp the process for offering tax receipts to individual donors to municipal campaigns.

"They have a very generous tax receipt process for people who donatefederallyand provincially. We don't have that at the municipal level," Watson said.

Last year council rejected an attempt by Coun. TobiNussbaum to ask Queen's Park to immediately address the issue of corporate and union donations to municipal candidates in Ottawa.

Watson has said he welcomes the debate at council over the proposed changes, but today reiterated his preference for the status quo.

"I very much believe the current system, while not perfect, has worked well," Watson said.