May 3, 2005

Follow the Money

"Follow the money" has been the watchword in politics since the days of the Watergate scandal that ultimately brought down Richard Nixon. The scandal involving BC Liberal campaign donations isn't about the amount of money; it is about the expectation that access to cabinet ministers must be purchased. That is why Carole James and the NDP have promised to amend legislation dealing with campaign donations starting with a prohibition on donations by unions and corporations.

The BC Liberal party could be found in violation of Section 187 of the Election Act which states: "A financial agent or an individual authorized under subsection (1) must not accept a political contribution that the financial agent or authorized individual has reason to believe is made in contravention of this Act." The Act requires that donations in excess of $250 be disclosed and Section 190 requires that all donations be categorized as to the type of contributor. Prior to 1995 there were no restrictions on who could donate to a BC political party. When the Act was rewritten in 1995, other than a restriction on anonymous donations, the only restrictions that were put in place were on the requirement to disclose financial details including a full list of all those who donate more than $250. In 2002 the Campbell government introduced Bill 59 which amended the Act and added a restriction that "A charitable organization must not make a political contribution." Bill 59 also removed the restriction on so called "third party advertising" which is why so many TV ads from interest groups are being broadcast in this campaign.

After amending the Elections Act, the BC Liberals accepted donations from municipalities, regional districts and charitable organizations. Representatives of some municipalities that donated to the BC Liberals said they didn't know that the event they attended was a Liberal fundraiser; others said that they needed to attend in order to have access to cabinet ministers.

The Liberals have reacted like an ink fish, attempting to cloud the water to obscure the issue. They have called for an audit of the donations to all political parties over the last 10 years even though there were no restrictions on charities until 3 years ago. It is wrong to accept donations by stealth, and it is wrong to create the impression that a donation buys access to decision makers. Instead of trying to cloud the water and accuse others, it is time for the Liberals to follow their often repeated advice and "move forward". Gordon Campbell should match the NDP promise to reform the election financing provisions of the Election Act by following the lead of Manitoba and Quebec where unions and businesses are prohibited from donating to political parties.

Why do the Liberals cloud the water rather than eliminating the issue with a simple promise of reform? The financial disclosure statement for the BC Liberals for 2004 shows $8.2 million in donations; $7.6 million of that came in the form of donations in excess of $250 each, and $5.76 million came from corporations or businesses donating over $250 each. Does anyone think they weren't trying to open the doors to power in order to get preferential treatment? Whether that is perception or reality, it needs to end.