Changes to Ontario elections include new ridings, spring fixed date

The Ontario Liberal government is tabling legislation this afternoon to create 15 new ridings that would be up for grabs in the provincial election in 2018.

The government is also planning to switch the fixed date of the provincial election from the fall to the spring and to "strengthen the rules" surrounding election campaign advertising by third-party special-interest groups such as unions.

The proposed new ridings would match constituency boundarychanges recently made at the federal level. Most of the new seats are in the Greater Toronto Area. The bill, if passed, would bring the number of seats at the Ontario Legislature to 122. It currently stands at 107.

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During a news conference at Queen's Parkon Tuesday, Premier Kathleen Wynne made no commitment about precisely how the election advertising rules will be strengthened.

Third-party advertisinghas more thantripled since the 2007 election to $8.7 million in 2014.

"We're going to look at this as a blank slate and figure out what needs to be done," Wynne said. "We haven't made any decision but I think it's something that needs to be studied."

But she all but rejectedthe idea of imposing caps on political donations by unions andcorporations.

"I believe that individuals and organizations should have theability to take part in the democratic process,"Wynnesaid. "Weneed to look at the role that third parties play and third partyadvertising is an important part of that discussion."

PCs want $150K spending cap

Special interest groups, including teachers' unions and the Working Families Coalition, spent $8.6 million on advertising in the last campaign, more than any single political party spent.

New Tory Leader Patrick Brown said he hoped the Liberals "werenot being cute" about third-party advertising and will introducereal reforms to stop massive spending that he called "an abuse" ofthe democratic process.

"Third parties spent more than all the political partiescombined, and that's not right," said Brown. "My worry is it's all
going to be talk and no action."

Wynne said the proposal to switch the fixed election date to the spring is primarily to avoid potential conflict with federal and municipal campaigns.

Last year's Ontario election was in June, but it was triggeredafter the opposition parties vowed to vote against the budget, whichwould have defeated the then-minority Liberal government.

Wynne not ready for online voting

While Ontarioplans to switch election dates,Wynneisn't ready to try online voting.

"I am not opposed personally to using technology in the electionprocess, not inany way,"Wynnesaid. "Are there uses for online (voting), is there away of integrating it? I just think jury is still out on that."

The NDP complainedWynnedidn't consult the opposition parties orthe public before announcing changes to the way elections are held.

Ontario also plans to register 16- and 17-year-olds but keep thevoting age at 18, whichWynnesaid would be a good way to engageyoung people in the democratic process and expand on the civicslessons they get in Grades 5 and 10.

"Right now, it's an abstract conversation, and I think it wouldbe helpful for it to be more concrete," she said.

If the reforms are approved, Elections Ontario would work withschools and the driver's licence program so teens are registered andready to vote when they turn 18.

Thursdayis the last day for the Legislature until mid-September. MPPs are returning to their ridings for the summer.