One of the first actions of the NDP when they were elected to govern Alberta in 2015 was to reform the province’s election rules. At that time they were about the most lenient rules in the country.
In particular, they brought them into line with federal legislation and that of most other provinces for both provincial and municipal elections by banning contributions from corporations and unions. Elections are, after all, for citizens, not for institutions, and deep-pocketed corporations inevitably pose the threat of corrupting the process as they have in MAGA-land.
Under a government led by oil industry lackey Danielle Smith, that couldn’t be allowed to stand. Sure enough, the UCP has proposed reforms that will allow corporations and unions back into partisan provincial election funding. Bill 54, Election Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, was tabled by Justice Minister Mickey Amery in the legislature last week.
In 2024 the UCP passed legislation allowing corporate and union donations in municipal elections. Given that there are a lot more corporations than unions, and a lot more rich corporations than unions, it’s easy to see who all this is designed to benefit.
The legislation will also increase spending limits for third-party advertisers from $182,000 to $500,000 in both the pre-writ and election periods. It is also obvious who this will benefit.
Were Albertans demanding these reforms? Hardly. They are, on the contrary, overwhelming opposed to such measures. A 2021 survey showed that while over 80 percent of Albertans thought citizens should be able to donate to election campaigns only abut a third thought corporations, unions or third parties should be allowed. The fact is a substantial majority support rules that allow only individuals to contribute.
In the view of University of Alberta political scientist Jared Wesley, the proposed reforms “mark another step in the Americanization of Alberta’s democratic institutions.” In an article in The Tyee, Wesley states “the reforms mirror tactics employed by Donald Trump’s Republican Party.”
By greatly expanding the influence of third parties, the government has encouraged the tactic used in the U.S. after that country’s Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Citizens United struck down prohibitions on corporate “independent” spending—money that didn’t go directly to a candidate or a party. This freed up rich donors and corporations to channel big bucks through political action committees (PACS) to promote candidates and parties while circumventing party donation limits. This has made a major contribution to corrupting American democracy into the plutocracy that it has become.
Premier Smith may believe that US-style “reform” will help Make Alberta Great Again, but it will only do great disservice to our democracy.