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Ontario’s Progressive leader says he would end the millions of dollars in per-vote subsidies the government pays to parties like his, calling it “political welfare” and bad for democracy.

Doug Ford’s promise, made as the province prepares for an election June 7, adds to a vigorous debate about how to fund political campaigns — and reduce the influence that donors can have on parties.

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While the former Conservative government phased out subsidies federally in 2015, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne introduced them to the province in 2016, while also banning union and corporate donations.

The rationale is that government grants lessen politicians’ dependence on donors, and the chance they’ll bend to the will of those supporters. But Ford suggested they are a waste of resources.

“I do not believe the government should be taking money from hard-working taxpayers and giving it to political parties,” he wrote on Facebook during the PC leadership campaign in February. “Corporate welfare is wrong, and political party welfare is equally wrong; I will put an end to both.”