Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington introduced a bill in the legislature Monday to ban corporate and union donations from provincial and municipal politics.
Her proposed legislation would also limit campaign contributions to $1,500 a year and prohibit donations from individuals living outside the province. "British Columbia is the Wild West of political finance rules," said the second-term independent MLA.
"Parties and politicians can take donations from any organization, or individual, from anywhere in the world. There's nothing stopping party leaders from flying to Kuala Lumpur or Toronto or Calgary to solicit donations for the party's war chest. The current rules encourage parties and candidates to pursue bigger and bigger donations, and if they don't, they get left in the dust. The legislature needs to change the rules."
Huntington said corporate and union donations are currently banned federally and in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia. The Ontario government will be moving in the same direction this spring.
"Taking big money out of politics puts democracy back in the hands of the people. The government needs to get on with it," Huntington said.
"A healthy democracy requires listening to the voices of all citizens, not just those who can afford $20,000 dinner parties. Until the government bans these donations, the public
will remain skeptical that politicians are acting in the best interests of the people."
Huntington also said she's proposing a number of democratic reforms to be announced throughout the week.
She attempted to introduce a similar motion a couple of years ago but saw that proposed amendment defeated. At the time, she said lack of restrictions for B.C. election donations was contributing to voter cynicism. Responding to Huntington's amendment back then, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Coralee Oakes noted she might consider setting spending or donation caps in the future, but disagreed with banning corporate and union donations, saying those "organizations have a legitimate role."
The 2013 provincial election in Delta South saw Huntington spend $70,400 of the $74,300 she received in contributions. She was the biggest contributor to her own campaign, donating $8,500. Her Liberal challenger, Bruce McDonald, received $107,897 and his campaign spent that entire amount.
On the municipal front, the 2014 election saw Mayor Lois Jackson and her Delta Independent Voters' Association receive a total of $155,125 in contributions, far and away more than another other candidate or slate. Jackson was acclaimed while two of DIVA's three Delta council candidates were elected.
Two years ago, the provincial government introduced new electoral rules, including candidates having to disclose sponsorship information on all election ads and thirdparty advertising sponsors having to register and disclose their expenditures. Campaign expense limits were not included, despite a recommendation made by a local government elections task force in 2010.
