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Politicians could still, however, attend events where the ticket price only recovers the cost of hosting it, and solicit funds by mail, phone or email.

That strikes NDP Leader Andrea Horwath as a significant loophole.

“You ban MPPs, cabinet ministers, from doing that direct ask, if you will, at a fundraiser…but you don’t stop them from picking up the phone and having the exact same conversation,” she said.

Attorney General Yasir Naqvi was not able to clearly explain Thursday the difference between soliciting donations in person and over the phone, and why one would be banned but the other accepted.

“Unless you’re suggesting that there should be no fundraising and political parties can only fund elections by getting money through public subsidy, that’s a whole different question,” he said. “Of course, there has to be some mechanism to raise funds. The new world, in my view, what that will look like is smaller donations from large groups of people just like the federal parties do.”

When asked if banning politicians from fundraising over the phone was just not enforceable, he said, “I’m not suggesting that, but I’m saying that is a big part of it.”

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said on the whole it was a good bill bringing much-needed reforms, but banning politicians from fundraisers was overkill.

He will still be hitting up donors at fundraisers for the last few weeks that they’re legal, he said.

“I don’t apologize for being a worker bee,” Brown said.