BC government tables legislation limiting political, campaign donations

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – The new BC NDP government has tabled legislation to ban large donations from corporations and unions, but it’s not without controversy.

The Election Amendment Act 2017, retroactive to May 9th of this year, would limit individual contributions to $1,200 a year.

Attorney General David Eby introduced the long-promised bill in Victoria.

“This bill honours our government’s commitment to get the big money out of politics,” he says. “The bill makes significant changes to the Elections Act’s rules respecting political contributions, election expenses, loans and debts, fundraising functions and the regulation of third-party advertisers.”

He says, once approved, donations by individuals will still be allowed, but there is now an annual limit.

“The bill proposes to ban union and corporate political contributions, as well as political contributions from outside BC. It proposes an annual limit of $1,200 on contributions from eligible individuals to any one political party and its candidates. ”

Eby says that’s the second-lowest limit in Canada.

The legislation would also ban out-of-province donations, cap contributions to third-party election advertisers, and require ongoing public reporting of all fundraisers attended by major party leaders and cabinet ministers, including those held in private residences.

It would also set new fines and penalties for contraventions of election financing and advertising laws.

Transitional fund to cost millions

But the cost of these changes to taxpayers could be more than $11 million over the next five years.

Plans include a so-called transitional fund to help wean political parties from the current system which has no cap on donations. Starting in 2018, political parties will receive $2.50 for every vote they got in the last election and funding will drop by 25 cents each year until 2021.

Attorney General David Eby admits both the NDP and Liberal parties could collect more than $8 million, while the Green party would be entitled to more than $3 million.

“One of the things that I think is critically important to recognize is that we did not take the approach of Ontario and Quebec, of the ongoing subsidy for political parties,” Eby says. “And yet, we have the second-lowest campaign donation limit in Canada. Quebec, which has a $100 donation limit has subsidies for parties that continue indefinitely, as does Ontario.”

As for how much it’s going to cost taxpayers to ensure these new rules are followed, Eby admits that hasn’t been figured out yet.

Opposition accuses NDP of breaking promises

Liberal MLA Andrew Wilkinson says the NDP government has broken a promise not to have taxpayers subsidize political parties.

He says the proposed “transitional fund” will be particularly lucrative for the Green party.

“So it appears that the Green party managed to bulldoze the NDP into breaking NDP promises.”

Wilkinson is also questioning the figure of $1,200, which is much lower than the $5,000 personal donation cap proposed by the Opposition last week.

“There’s no apparent rhyme or reason for that, so we wonder why they came up with that number. Probably because it suits the purposes of the Greens and NDP.”

The NDP introduced six private members bills trying to reform campaign finance law while in opposition, but the Liberal government rejected all of them.

 

Today’s legislation introduction was unopposed by the BC Liberals.

Last year, the Liberals collected more than $13 million dollars in donations, while the NDP raised more than $6 million and the Greens drew in less than $800,000.

 

 

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