B.C. Liberals to support ban on corporate, union donations to political parties
VICTORIA — British Columbia’s Liberals say they are now ready to take big money out of politics after rejecting calls for political fundraising reform for more than a decade.
Attorney General Andrew Wilkinson said the government’s throne speech Thursday will include a plan to end corporate and union donations to political parties after it became apparent during last month’s election campaign that voters support the change.
“During the election campaign, all of us had the opportunity to hear directly from voters,” Wilkinson said Monday. “We’re reflecting the sentiment of British Columbians that it’s time to change the way political parties are financed.”
Before the election, the Liberals promised an independent panel that would report to the legislature on political fundraising, but Wilkinson said the government decided that process was “too slow.”