NDP raised $6.2m in 2016, including $1.8m from unions
Unions and individuals figured prominently in $6.2 million in political contributions raised by the NDP in 2016, show figures released by Elections B.C.
The data provides the first details of donors to the NDP last year, already revealed for the B.C. Liberals in disclosures they released in January. The NDP had declined to do the same.
Individuals contributed $3.8 million to the NDP, while unions contributed $1.8 million.
The B.C. Elections information shows the NDP also received $547,176 from corporations.
The money raised by the NDP is far outstripped by the $13.1 million the Liberals raised in 2016, where corporations played a prominent role. Corporations and unincorporated businesses/commercial organizations accounted for $7.7 million.
The Green party raised $757,268 in 2016, almost exclusively from individuals.
The cash-for-access politics being played out in B.C., and the role that donations play in influencing government, is under scrutiny with an election just weeks away on May 9.
B.C. is increasingly out of step with the rest of Canada, where the federal government and Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba have all instituted bans on corporate and union donations and put in place caps.
In B.C., the NDP and Green party have said they will ban corporate and union donations and set a cap on contributions. The B.C. Liberals, under pressure, have said they would set up a non-binding panel on the issue after the election.
Both the NDP and Liberals continue to raise money heading into the election, $3.7 million for the Liberals in 2017 by the end of March, according to their weekly disclosures.
“We are in an election where there is too much at stake to concede an advantage to Christy Clark,” said Glen Sanford, the B.C. NDP’s deputy director, about their decision to continue to accept money from union and corporations.
Among the big union donors to the NDP, five unions accounted for $1.56 million.
The big donors included the United Steelworkers ($672,576), the Canadian Union of Public Employees ($332,182), the Hospital Employees Union ($213,903), Unifor ($206,790) and the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union ($117,400), according to an analysis by Postmedia.
Major unions such as the United Steelworkers and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have already said they would support a ban on union and corporate donations. Unions, who almost exclusively support the NDP, say they do so because the party more closely aligns with their social and economic interests, including higher minimum wages, stronger workplace safety policies, affordable child care, public-funded housing, protections for the environment and enhanced senior’s care.
Corporations have largely been silent on the issue, saying it’s a government decision.
The corporate donors to the NDP include Woodfibre LNG ($38,000), which still has a liquefied natural gas export project in the works near Squamish.
Also on the list are Fortis ($19,600), forestry-giant Canfor ($17,750), property-developer Polygon Homes ($16,950), Pretium Resources ($14,500), Gateway Casinos and Entertainment ($13,870), Wesbild Holdings ($13,800), Lifelabs ($13,100), Onni Group ($12,700) and Great Canadian Gaming ($10,050).
Fortis spokesman Michael Allison said money from Fortis went largely to buy tables at fundraising events hosted by the NDP, similar to those held by the B.C. Liberals.
“We have 1.1 million customers throughout the province in 135 communities. So, it’s important to us to have clear channels of engagement with not only government and ministers’ offices, but also with the opposition,” said Allison.