Dancing with the partner that brung ya?
By Sean Holmon
in Public Eye Online www.publiceyeonline.com
Kevin Falcon is a popular man among property developers, managers and builders. So popular, in fact, that the provincial Liberal transportation minister's financial agent collected at least $61,500 from the industry immediately prior to and during the 2005 election campaign. And he received a further $18,500 from transportation interests, according to an analysis conducted by Public Eye.
When asked whether about the appropriateness of receiving donations from two sectors that could be impacted by the decisions he makes, Minister Falcon replied, "I think the fact I do receive and proudly receive lots of support from the development industry is no great surprise given that that's my background. That's where I came from," having been vice-president of Northwest Investment Properties Inc.
"And I think you'd find, even before I was transportation minister, that I had support" from the industry in the 2001 election. And as for donations from the transportation industry? "I don't remember (those contributions) being a factor at all."
Transportation critic David Chudnovsky wouldn't weight in on whether he thought those donations were inappropriate, saying "I'm not going to make a particular comment about a particular minister or situation. What I'm going to say is that people have a right to look for campaign finance reform. That's what (the New Democrats) are putting before them. And we think it's legitimate for them to ask questions about who's funding politicians."
Among the more notable companies handing over money the minister's financial agent were Emerson Real Estate Group, Kingswood Holdings Ltd. and Progressive Construction Ltd., which once employed cabinet minister Olga Ilich as its executive vice-president. Those companies have partnered to develop the controversial Campbell Heights business park. The park has been under fire from environmentalists who say the construction work is damaging one of the few remaining fish habitat areas in the Lower Mainland. Combined, those firms wrote cheques totaling $21,000.
Also of interest: Canadian Road Builders Inc. executives Gilbert Brulotte and Glenn Thamer ($3,000), as well as Southern Railway of British Columbia Ltd. president John van der Burch ($2,000). Much of the money was raised during a series of fundraisers at Gotham Steakhouse and Cocktail Bar. A version of this article was originally published in today's edition of 24 hours.
Falcon contributions
This is where British Columbians need to write the Auditor General and the Ethics Commissioner,to look into the finances of Falcon and anyone else involved in the Gateway Project. Considering the repercussions of the U.S. Republicans in lobbyist political intereference, Canadians have the right to know who is making policies.This is something the NDP could do,but, they are in the pockets of harpers government,and have their own lobbyist monies. We in Canada need a political party that can make their motto TAKE BACK CANADA. Unfortunately the only party that has that mandate is the Canadian Action Party who seem to be very very quiet in a time when they could garner huge public support.
Party on
Well I'm not so sure it's all about "parties"...millions of individuals are still needed to raise their voices, and to vote. Yes we need to pressure our representatives, both elected an non-elected and would-be-elected...but Gateway is actually way bigger than mere party politics (note how David Emerson brought Gateway with him across the floor). It's about cynical capitalism and opportunistic greed. When this becomes manifestly obvious, and the people say no, the politicians have no recourse but to act (and in fact, unless the people tell them what they want, they have no ability to act).
All of which leads back to, yes Terri you are right, we need to look into the corruption of the Gateway Project and get the word out and expose this for the deadly farce of democracy that it is.