MONTREAL - Bourassa Green Party of Canada candidate Danny Polifroni is concerned about the use of taxpayer funds for partisan purposes. According to an article published today in Le Devoir, this is a practice employed by several federal parties, including the NDP who mailed partisan literature to Bourassa this fall.
Although MPs have not been allowed to send mail outside of their own riding for over two years, the NDP argue that this is a practice common among the Liberal and Conservative parties. The NDP campaign materials distributed in Bourassa reveal a concerted plan among four NDP MPs who do not represent Bourassa to send partisan literature using taxpayer funds.
Polifroni is worried about this practice, explaining, “We’re constantly talking about corruption, collusion and scandal in the Senate, and it seems to me that these mailings are another example of the use of taxpayer money funding partisan purposes. I want to do politics differently, and I really encourage MPs to do the same. Taxpayer money shouldn’t be used to promote political parties, but rather to serve the people. I’m quite worried about this political strategy.”
Polifroni, who is campaigning on doing politics differently, has published a platform based on transparency, integrity, and openness:
- Polifroni will give back 50% of his MP’s salary to the community of Bourassa. Because his salary comes from the people of Bourassa, Polifroni proposes that the community of Bourassa decide how to use this funding.
- Polifroni will publish his personal MP’s expenses at least twice per year on his website. They will also be available for consultation at his constituency office.
- He will publish a report on his work as an MP four times per year. The report will be available on his website, sent by email, and for those that request it, by mail to their homes.
- Polifroni will serve in a transparent and open way as demonstrated by Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party of Canada, who was named “Parliamentarian of the year” last year by her peers in the House of Commons.
“The people of Bourassa need to elect an MP who will act in the name of transparency, integrity, and openness. Political parties that use loopholes in House of Commons policies and defend it by saying that they’re just doing what other parties do, are not representing these three values.” Polifroni adds.
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For further information:
Stéphanie Charron
Communications director, Danny Polifroni for Bourassa
Office: (438) 384-3340
stephanie.charron@partivert.ca
www.dannypolifroni.ca
twitter.com/dannypolifroni
www.facebook.com/PolifroniDansBourassa
www.partivert.ca