B.C. Liberals receive federal wage subsidy, Greens apply

VICTORIA B.C.’s Opposition Liberals and the Green party are receiving or have applied for federal aid to pay party staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of funding already provided by provincial taxpayers.

The Liberals confirmed to Postmedia News that they have applied for and received the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, which covers 75 per cent of the pre-pandemic wage for employees for up to 24 weeks.

The Greens, which at first said they were only thinking about applying, also confirmed late Tuesday they’ve applied but have yet to receive approval.

The Liberals have almost a dozen full-time and part-time staff and, in 2019, spent almost $1.4 million on salaries and benefits.

“Like the Liberal Party of Canada, Conservative Party of Canada, Green Party of Canada, NDP, United Conservative Party of Alberta, and others, we have applied for and received the federal emergency wage subsidy,” said Emile Scheffel, B.C. Liberal executive director.

“We are using it for its intended purpose: keeping employees on the job during this unprecedented crisis. The alternative would be laying off staff, forcing them to access EI (employment insurance) and other relief programs that are also funded by taxpayers.”

Scheffel declined to give an actual amount of funding received.

Political parties are eligible organizations under the rules set by the federal government. They’ve argued their primary source of revenue — fundraising — has dried up due to the business closures and mass unemployment caused by the pandemic. The federal program is designed to help businesses hurt by the pandemic afford to keep staff on their payroll rather than eliminating their jobs.

The B.C. NDP said it has not applied for or received any federal wage subsidies.

“If other political parties choose to apply that is their choice,” said party provincial director Raj Sihota.

Any federal aid to B.C. political parties comes on top of provincial funding the NDP government put in place in 2017, meaning the B.C. Liberals and Greens are receiving cash from both provincial and federal taxpayers. The Liberals opposed the provincial subsidy in 2017, but nonetheless have continued to take it.

The government created a provincial per-vote subsidy to help parties wean themselves off corporate and union donations, which the NDP banned in 2017. The subsidy is set to expire in 2021 unless politicians agree to renew it.

Scheffel said the Liberals need to maintain a constant state of election readiness due to the minority government. While the next provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2021, there’s a chance the NDP government could call it earlier, he said.

“The NDP presumably know when the next election is going to be,” said Scheffel. “We have zero certainty. So ... we have to be prepared for a snap election at any time. And that means keeping a certain level of staff, a certain level of research ready at all times so we’re not caught flat-footed when they drop the writ.”