Business donors to the B.C. Liberal Party appear to have been dividing their loyalties in anticipation of an NDP government by making donations to both parties in 2011.
According to annual party financial reports published Wednesday by Elections BC, a number of companies donating to the governing Liberal party also gave sums to left-wing opposition party the NDP, which has a commanding lead in public opinion polls.
Canfor ($56,000), the B.C. Real Estate Association ($10,900), Pennwest Exploration ($5,000) and Concord Pacific ($5,000) were among the top corporate donors to the NDP, which reported a $99,640.69 deficit on $5.03 million income and $5.128 million expenses last year.
The NDP also received $3,000 each from Seaspan Victoria Shipyards, London Drugs, Great Canadian Gaming, Fasken Martineau Dumoulin and Enbridge, which is proposing the controversial Northern Gateway pipeline from Alberta’s tarsands to Kitimat. Suncor Energy Services, PCI Group and Wall Financial gave $1,000 each.
The overwhelming share of the NDP kitty is still filled by big labour organizations, like the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union ($124,850) and B.C. Federation of Labour ($123,000).
However, the Liberal party was still well ahead financially, ending 2011 with a $600,000 surplus after collecting $9.6 million income and spending $9.01 million.
Vancouver Canucks’ owner Francesco Aquilini donated $129,080 to the Liberals through his various companies, mostly in summer and fall, after the Stanley Cup and the riot.
Canfor ($68,600), Enbridge ($33,050), Concord Pacific ($17,350), Seaspan ($21,600) and London Drugs ($4,850) were also Liberal donors.
Suitors for the province’s lucrative liquor warehousing and distribution opened their chequebooks in an unprecedented manner. Exel Canada vice-president Scott Lyons gave $3,500 and lobbyist Mark Jiles $1,000. Jiles gave an additional $7,350 from his Bluestone Consulting firm and $10,365 personally. His associate Patrick Kinsella’s Progressive Strategies donated $34,450. Neither Lyons nor Jiles responded to interview requests.
Richmond’s Containerworld Freight Forwarding Services, expected to be another bidder when tendering begins this spring, donated $5,950.
Both main parties held leadership conventions in 2011 and were anticipating a fall election, but Premier Christy Clark called it off after losing the HST referendum last August.
The B.C. Conservative Party, under leader John Cummins, was left with a $111,071 surplus after $212,797 income and $101,726 expenses.
