October 06, 2022
Vancouver – TEAM For A Livable Vancouver today posted online its list of major donors, going back to January 1 through to September 23, 2022.
Bill Tieleman, TEAM Campaign Manager and Council Candidate, said the posting of the list of donors who have made contributions of $100 or more is voluntary and will be followed by filing the party’s reports to Elections BC after the municipal election.
Colleen Hardwick, TEAM For A Livable Vancouver Councillor and mayoral candidate, said the party is proud that it has rejected donations from major corporate developers while Ken Sim and ABC and Kennedy Stewart and Forward Together are soliciting and taking tens of thousands of dollars to fund their high-priced campaigns.
“I am proud that we announced in August that we would not take any money from big developers – despite our opponents Mr. Sim and Mr. Stewart accepting money from those who come before Council seeking approval of their multi-million-dollar projects,” Hardwick said.
“It seems obvious that a City Council which has as one of its primary functions the regulation of development projects should not have a mayor or councillors who have directly benefitted politically from their donations be able to vote on them,” she said. “It is a perceived conflict of interest from the get-go and gives the public the appearance that influence could be obtained with campaign contributions.”
Hardwick said the provincial government should amend the Local Elections Campaign Financing Act to clearly define conflict and perceived conflict with regard to donations and that the province should consider revising the rules for personal donations to ensure the intent to not allow big money to dominate elections. Tieleman noted that some jurisdictions have lower donation limits and more restrictions on total donations by one person per year. Quebec, for example, limits personal donations to $100 per party or independent candidate.
Currently individuals in BC can donate up to $1,250 per individual candidate if running independently in each municipality or $1,250 per party if candidates are running under an electoral organization.
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