Keeping a cap on contributions: Deadline come and gone for politicians to reveal who contributed to their campaigns
While not a lot of money is funneled into municipal election campaigns, there are still rules on campaign donations. There are limits on individual donations and total donations, including donations from developers.
"Developers are very interested in municipal councils,” said Municipal Affairs Expert and Western Professor Emeritus Andrew Sancton. “Municipal councils are making important decisions that effect their work."
The limit on donations to individual candidates is $1,200. Only $5,000 total can be given to all candidates running for city council.
Candidates had until 2 p.m. Friday to declare their donations.
Even before all filings were posted on the city website, it was clear York Developments President Ali Soufan had surpassed the $5,000 total, giving $7,400 to seven candidates.
Sancton believes it is likely just an oversight, and told CTV News London, "The likelihood of being caught is very high and, as I say, mistakes happen and it could well be that that's what happened in this case."
Former London council member Sandy Levin agrees. He said while there are always concerns that someone can exert undo influence on a council, or individual council members, he doesn't see campaign donations as an issue.
"I don't think any member of any council that their decisions hinge on campaign donations,” he said.
Levin said most campaigns simply don't rely heavily on such donations.
“You don't need them. I mean, when I ran I didn't take them from the industry. I was asked by one, and said ‘No’. Another wrote me a check and I sent it back,” he said.
Sancton said the challenge with the total contributions is that an overage can only be identified after all the filings are in.
In a statement to CTV News London, City of London Media Relations Manager Jo Ann Johnston said any instances of over contributions are reported to the Compliance Audit Committee.
The committee will then decide next steps, which could include court proceedings.
CTV News London contacted Ali Soufan for comment but did not received a response.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prime Minister Trudeau meets Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau landed in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday evening to meet with U.S.-president elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, sources confirm to CTV News.
'Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!': Details emerge in Boeing 737 incident at Montreal airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
Hit man offered $100,000 to kill Montreal crime reporter covering his trial
Political leaders and press freedom groups on Friday were left shell-shocked after Montreal news outlet La Presse revealed that a hit man had offered $100,000 to have one of its crime reporters assassinated.
Questrade lays off undisclosed number of employees
Questrade Financial Group Inc. says it has laid off an undisclosed number of employees to better fit its business strategy.
Cucumbers sold in Ontario, other provinces recalled over possible salmonella contamination
A U.S. company is recalling cucumbers sold in Ontario and other Canadian provinces due to possible salmonella contamination.
Billboard apologizes to Taylor Swift for video snafu
Billboard put together a video of some of Swift's achievements and used a clip from Kanye West's music video for the song 'Famous.'
Musk joins Trump and family for Thanksgiving at Mar-a-Lago
Elon Musk had a seat at the family table for Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago, joining President-elect Donald Trump, Melania Trump and their 18-year-old son.
John Herdman resigns as head coach of Toronto FC
John Herdman, embroiled in the drone-spying scandal that has dogged Canada Soccer, has resigned as coach of Toronto FC.
Weekend weather: Parts of Canada could see up to 50 centimetres of snow, wind chills of -40
Winter is less than a month away, but parts of Canada are already projected to see winter-like weather.