Premier Christy Clark says the federal Liberals plan to make details surrounding controversial “cash for access” fundraisers public, is an interesting idea.
The Prime Minister’s Office has reportedly asked the Democratic Institutions office to draft new rules on the private fundraisers. The rules are expected to require that the federal fundraisers be held in publicly available spaces, advertised in advance and that a report be released to reveal details of the event after it’s held.
After a public Q&A event in West Kelowna Friday morning, reporters asked Clark whether she would follow his lead.
“Well we’ll see how it works, I think it’s an interesting idea so we’re watching it,” Clark said “We are making some changes though already which is, and I think the federal government may wan to think about this, reporting donations in real time, so when someone donates we report it”
On Thursday night, just the night before, Clark attended a private event at Mission Hill Winery where guests paid $5,000 to attend.
Clark defended the event, saying there are only two ways for political parties to fundraise, the other being taking it from taxpayers.
“And taxpayers won’t get a choice about which political party they donate to in that case either,” Clark said “Neither system is perfect but it think taking the money from taxpayers, which is what the NDP is advocating, is the worst of the two systems”
A pair of protesters stood outside both Thursday night’s and Friday morning’s event with a sign that said “pay to play” and names of reported corporate donors who have allegedly reaped benefits.
One of the protesters, Dayleen Van Ryswyk (who has run as an independent candidate in previous provincial elections) said it seemed like efforts were being made to hide the identities of the guests at the private event Thursday night.
“Vans being brought in full of her donors, I guess, in tinted windows,” she said “They didn’t want anyone to see who was in there and for $5,000 dollars, people aren’t just expecting a meal, they’re expecting more than that”
Van Ryswyk says people shouldn't have to pay gross amounts of money to get access to the Premier.