There’s a critical mass of discontent building with the amount of money getting thrown around in our elections.
To Stephen Harper’s credit, he banned corporate and union donations in 2006. Unfortunately, loopholes big enough to drive a Brinks truck through still exist, as we are seeing this week with the federal justice minister getting raked over the coals for a $500-a-plate fundraising dinner with a Bay Street law firm. And still, we have record levels of federal election spending with West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country being the most expensive seat won in
Parliament, according to campaign finance documents released last week.
After taking a political drubbing, Ontario’s Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne announced she would end the practice of raising funds by essentially selling access to her government’s ministers (but not before raking in a princely sum).
And if we look to the dog and pony show happening in the U.S. primary elections, we’ll find dark horse candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders dominating much of the chatter, thanks in part to their proud declarations eschewing support of corporate interests.
Sadly, B.C. remains behind both the times and most other provinces. Private members bills from the B.C. NDP as well as our lone elected independent MLA, Vicki Huntington, that would ban corporate and union cash both were defeated under a chorus of Nay votes from our Liberals, and the five-figure schmooze fests with the premier are still up for grabs.
The more than $5 million they brought in from corporate donors in 2015 may have a lot to do with why they prefer to keep the teat flowing.
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