VICTORIA B.C. – In the wake of the federal approval of the Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, Andrew Weaver, leader of the B.C. Green Party, is calling for John Horgan and Christy Clark to release their parties’ “cash-for-access” donor lists and donation amounts. Horgan and Clark regularly host meetings with large corporate donors where tickets go from $2,000 to $10,000 or more.
“‘Cash-for-access’ is one of the most troubling potential conflicts of interest in our democracy today and John Horgan and Christy Clark are building their campaigns on it”, Weaver said. “With the Kinder Morgan approval and other major industrial projects and decisions, this a very dangerous practice.
“The least Mr. Horgan and Ms. Clark can do is release the names of invitees and attendees of these ‘cash-for-access’ events and the donation amounts they received. That would not eliminate the anti-democratic conflict, but at least they would be transparent to the people of B.C. that they have these potential conflicts of interest. The people of British Columbia are kept in the dark about who is getting secret access to them. No wonder British Columbians have trust issues with their parties.
“The B.C. Green Party is seeking a mandate from British Columbians to govern, and we believe the only right way to do this is to show that we are worthy of their trust. That is why we have banned the corrupting influence of corporate and union donations from our party – we will walk the talk and show real leadership. British Columbians deserve nothing less from those asking for their support.”
In March 2016, B.C. NDP MLA David Eby sent a letter to Conflict of Interest Commissioner Paul Fraser asking him to investigate B.C. Liberal Party fundraisers hosted by Premier Christy Clark which regularly cost attendees $10,000 or more. John Horgan, leader of the B.C. NDP hosted a similar “cash-for-access” fundraiser for the “resource industry” last week where tickets cost between $2,500 and $10,000.
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Media contact
Mat Wright, Press Secretary, Office of Andrew Weaver, MLA
+1 250-216-3382 | [email protected]