BC Politics Awash in Big Money
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August 22, 2005
BC POLITICS AWASH IN BIG MONEY
CORPORATIONS, UNIONS DOMINATE ELECTION
(Victoria) Numbers released today by Elections BC show that big money interests dominate election financing in BC. About $11.2 million or 64% of the $17.4 million donated to the Liberals and NDP came from non-voters like corporations and unions. Millions more were spent on third party advertising campaigns.
“Why are we allowing the systematic buying of influence in our democracy?” asked Matt Price, Coordinator of the Conservation Voters of BC (CVBC). “Our system is supposed to be one person one vote. Instead it is big donors buying our votes.”
CVBC recently sent BC Attorney General Wally Oppal draft legislation that would ban corporate and union donations, as well as reinstate election spending caps for third parties in BC. The draft legislation was based on CVBC’s report Democracy For Sale? that shows BC lagging alongside Alberta in having the fewest safeguards against big money influence in politics.
Corporate and union donations are banned in Manitoba and Quebec and limited at the federal level and in other provinces. Also, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that third party spending caps are legal. Ontario is about to strike a citizens’ jury on reducing the influence of big money in its political system.
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For more information contact Matt Price at 250-661-2965
The report Democracy For Sale can be found at www.conservationvoters.ca/forsale
The report Democracy For Sale can be found at www.conservationvoters.ca/forsale