The idea of $10,000 meet-and-greets with the premier conjures up uncomfortable images of rich people buying exclusive access to leaders, and using it to get what they want.
In fact, the format is closer to a modern, new-age sort of dairy farm.
The cattle are welcomed into the barn and made to feel comfortable. Then they’re milked for all they are worth, as efficiently and quickly as possible, and turned loose again. The farmer generally gets more out of it than the cow.
Same usually applies to private political receptions. Donors hear a canned spiel and get a personal “Hi, how are ya?” If there’s time for a quick selfie, that’s a bonus.
New Democrats over-reached this week, manufacturing a bit of horror at Premier Christy Clark’s exclusive soirées, while overlooking how familiar their own party is with the concept. They rapped Clark for not releasing the guest list for a $10,000-a-head reception organized by a wealthy Vancouverite where she was the star attraction.
Back in 2012, when the NDP looked like a sure thing to win the upcoming election, corporations and wealthy individuals started hedging their bets and writing cheques to the party, which it was only too happy to cash.
And then-leader Adrian Dix spent some time doing exactly what Clark is doing — holding exclusive get-togethers with people willing to ante up considerable sums of money for the right to attend. And none of their names were released, either.
The invitation to one such reception, covered at the time, has a very familiar ring to it. Executives from the resource sector were invited to the Fairmont Pacific Rim for a “private reception” with Dix and key caucus members. “This event has limited capacity. It’s a closed invitation list.”
Tickets went for $2,500, with a special $10,000 VIP package that secured hours more time with Dix over dinner.
A few months before the election, the NDP was putting the touch on business leaders again, based on the record year they had had with corporation donations.
“Between 2005 and 2012, you contributed significantly to the B.C. Liberals. It is our hope that you will adopt a balanced approach to your support in the lead-up to the election in May.
“I am asking your organization to make a contribution in the range of $5,000 to show your commitment to a balanced approach to government.”
And guess who charged Toronto business leaders $5,000 a head for a breakfast session on Wednesday? It was NDP Leader John Horgan. B.C. Liberals who were miffed at the Clark criticism posted the invite on social media to even the score.
The paid-admission receptions and the fundraising letters are completely legal, of course. It’s the propriety that’s in question. But for all the offence that’s taken at the idea of people paying for face time with a leader, there’s no way to divorce money from politics. The best that can be hoped for is to keep the donations as public as possible, so the whole system is transparent.
That safeguard is already in place in election law. Donations of more than $250 are made public. So anyone who paid more than that to go to a reception with either leader will have their names eventually listed on the public record with Elections B.C. Citizens can check government decisions against the donors’ list and make of it what they will.
Renouncing donations from various sectors is a risky business, given the record lack of interest in politics these days. Barely half the population bothers to vote, let alone get further involved.
Parties are on record at Elections B.C. meetings about difficulties retaining volunteers. But it takes millions to run a campaign, and a good part of most politicians’ schedules involves fundraising. Shrinking the pool of potential donors means relying even more heavily on those who are left.
There’s nothing inappropriate about the fact that politics costs money. Keeping it open and clear for all to see helps keep it on the up and up, as well.
