The Canadian Taxpayers Federation wants Island municipalities to adopt more transparent campaign rules.

Municipal candidates on P.E.I. don't have to declare who funds their campaigns, but the federation believes that needs to change.

"More disclosure is better. So show us the money," said federation director Kevin Gaudet, borrowing a line from the popular Hollywood movie, Jerry Maguire.

Gaudet argues that politicians should have to disclose what campaign donations they received and who was behind the donation.

"It's virtually impossible for voters and taxpayers to know whether or not their elected officials are in a position of conflict of interest if they don't know to whom those elected officials are beholden," Gaudet said.

Gaudet noted the City of Toronto, for example, has rules on how much an individual can give to a candidate. Donations also get posted on the city website after the election.

Gaudet sees a need for even more disclosure by publishing the list of donations a week before an election, "so that voters can judge for themselves whether or not they're satisfied or have a better appreciation of who's pulling the strings of what political candidate."

There's nothing stopping the cities of Charlottetown and Summerside, as well as towns like Cornwall and Stratford, from creating their own donation policy, similar to what's in place for provincial and federal elections.

Voters in those municipalities go to the polls Nov. 1.