New York Times report on BC could make good fodder for campaign attack, prof says
Posted January 14, 2017 1:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The New York Times is picking up the story of political contributions in BC and the controversial connection to the premier’s paycheque.
With the provincial election fast approaching, the article could help make fundraising a campaign issue.
The story isn’t exactly new; local news outlets like this one have talked about how Christy Clark’s salary is topped up each year with $30,000 to $50,000 from political contributions.
But UBC Political Science Professor David Moscrop says having it show up in a big international paper changes the dynamic.
“It’s sort of legitimizes covering it, whereas having it just as a domestic problem doesn’t,” says Moscrop. “Given that it’s the American’s who’ve picked it up says a lot. There’s a country that knows what it’s like to have too much money in politics.”
And that could make it a more effective attack if the NDP choose to jump on it.
“It’s going to go a long way in helping them to sell a message that the BC Liberals are out of touch.”
That said:
“The Liberals could very well come back and counter with what the NDP has sold to the unions. It’s the same problem just with a different donor. So, if this is picked up, it could become pretty nasty pretty fast,” explains Moscrop.
The Times piece refers to BC as the ‘Wild West of Canadian Political Cash’.
