Some things just need to be said...

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

BC Liberals opposed to Donation reform

Donate-gate

The Liberals passed a law in 2002 that said political donations from charities and first nations were banned. The Liberals have taken $46,000+ from these banned sources since. The Liberal party president tries to blame the charities themselves for giving money to the Liberals.

Seems to me if you are not supposed to take money from someone, then you don't. You don't blame the person who gave it to you.

The NDP has committed to passing legislation that will remove all the hidden dollars and donations to political parties from unions and corporations.

In the last year the BC Liberals collected $5 million, $3.5 million came from corporations and other businesses, while individuals contributed $1.5 million, mostly big cheques from individuals.

The NDP took in $2.5 million, $360,000 from unions and 2.2 million from many people giving small amounts.

Many more people donated to the NDP than the Liberals. The Liberals focused their fundraising on getting big bucks from many fewer sources. The NDP collected $2.2 million from people, while the Liberals collected $1.5 million from people.

Yes, the scandal over the BC Liberals' fund-raising practices is real. Not in the way you might at first think, that the Campbell Liberals are breaking new ground, or some sort of rogues within a generally fine system...

... NDP have both promised political financing reform if they form government. Corporate, union and municipal donations would be banned and individual donations limited, as they are federally and in Quebec and Manitoba. The Liberals are opposed to reform. And that should be an important policy difference for voters... Columnist Paul Willcocks, May 3, 2004

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