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EDITORIAL: Party Line

A news i nvestigation by the Globe and Mail revealed this week details about Justin Trudeau attending a fundraising soiree with a number of Chinese billionaires, bankers and business leaders, many of whom have trade and business deals awaiting govern

A news investigation by the Globe and Mail revealed this week details about Justin Trudeau attending a fundraising soiree with a number of Chinese billionaires, bankers and business leaders, many of whom have trade and business deals awaiting government approval.

In response, the Liberal Party said nothing policy-related was discussed and that no donations came from attendees who are foreign citizens and thus not allowed to chip in. It’s not a smoking gun. Parties raise funds. It’s what they do. But these cash-for-access shindigs blur ethical lines.

Let’s not forget, it was an illegal blurring of the lines between donors and government that got Liberals banished to the political wilderness for a decade. To his credit, it was Stephen Harper who banned corporate and union donations and capped individual contributions.

Trudeau’s government won power on the promise of transparency and accountability and they deserve a kick in the shins for these exlcusive get-togethers.

But, if we’re going to get cranky about the $1,525-maximum donations the federal Liberals are receiving, we have to stand in awe at the provincial ones, where lobbyists have been known to pay five figures for table talk with the premier or cabinet ministers. The party boasts they’ve never been so flush with cash heading into an election, making no secret of their cash-for-access side business and fundraisers hosted by groups with major applications pending approval. Case in point, a 2015 fundraising dinner to benefit West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Jordan Sturdy that was co-sponsored by Woodfibre LNG, which is set to begin construction on its Howe Sound gas export plant.

Our favourite parties are the ones where everyone’s invited.

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