Big money into BC Politics
Channel: Integritybc
Date: 2012-10-29

"Take back BC" is focused on ensuring that the 2013 provincial election is the last election in BC bought and paid for by special interest money.

Political parties that now support electoral finance reform include the BC NDP, the BC Conservatives, BC Green party and BC First. Independent MLA Bob Simpson has tabled a private member's bill on the issue. 

Municipal parties that support reform include COPE, the Green party, the NPA and Vision Vancouver.

HELP TAKE BACK BC

IntegrityBC is calling for a ban on corporate, union and out-of-province donations, a cap on individual donations and a Citizens' Assembly to make binding recommendations on additional reforms.

We have an online resource centre on electoral finance reform at:
http://www.integritybc.ca  

Our can be signed here:
http://www.integritybc.ca/?page_id=57 

or here:
http://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/government-of-british-columbia-ban-corporate-and-union-donations-to-provincial-political-parties

(Please sign only once and Only if you live in B.C.)

Fundraising stats (since 2005):
 
BC LIBERALS
Corporate: $39,230,706
Unincorporated business: $4,462,382
Union: $60,648

BC NDP
Corporate: $986,791
Unincorporated business: $22,688
Union: $6,387,097

BC CONSERVATIVES
Corporate: $39,551.90
Unincorporated business: $2,000
Union: $0

BC GREENS
Corporate: $54,801.64
Unincorporated business: $10,216.70
Union: $ 4,364.70

Largest municipal donation from a single donor in 2011 $960,000
Largest provincial donation from a single donor in 2011 $210,000

THE ABOVE DONATIONS ARE ONLY FOR THOSE DIRECTED TO PARTY OPERATIONS.

Quotes on electoral finance reform:

"British Columbia's democratic institutions are supposed to be accountable to the people we serve, but too often ordinary citizens feel that their voices are crowded out by big money, that access to politicians and decisions comes with a price. That has a corrosive effect on our democracy, undermining people's faith that decisions made in this chamber or at cabinet table result from no other consideration than the broad public interest." -- NDP leader Carole James, 2008

"People have to have faith that their government is working in their best interests and not in some corporate or union interest." -- B.C. Conservative leader John Cummins, 2012

"A ban on corporate donations that took effect in 2007, building on earlier restrictions, means that parties must constantly approach individual Canadians for contributions and cannot turn to companies to fill their coffers. It's hard to ask people for money if they're peeved at a decision that has hit them in the pocketbook." -- Globe and Mail, Report on Business, 20 October 2012

"...You can't help but feel uneasy. It points out the need for tighter controls on campaign financing." --  Norman Ruff, political scientist emeritus at University of Victoria, October 2012

"One hopes that the B.C. Liberals aren't putting their partisan interests ahead of leadership on this issue, because both the NPA and Vision Vancouver are putting leadership ahead of partisanship." -- Dermod Travis, IntegrityBC, October 2012

"There has long been a perception, whether founded or not, that certain groups in society --corporations, unions and the wealthy -- may exercise undue influence in our political system through the financial contributions they make to political parties and candidates." -- Hon. Don Boudria, 2003

"It is not healthy to democracy for the party system to be so subject to the powerful and the rich. The appearance of improper influence is a significant source of cynicism about public life, and that too must be changed." -- Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, 2003

"...obviously there's a link between corporate donations and government policy, and that's one of the reasons why we would like to ban corporate donations." -- Hon. Sheila Copps, 2003

https://www.facebook.com/IntegrityBritishColumbia
http://www.integritybc.ca/