This letter is in response to Tom Fletcher’s column titled “ Can we get ‘big money’ out of B.C. politics?”
I will begin with his last statement about Greg Robertson’s action in supporting the NDP and to what extent it constituted or equated the large amounts of money the Liberals raised, and the NDP raised through union support. This does not even come close to the influence money has had on the liberal government—none of it with a positive outcome for BC citizens for the last 16 years!
As a matter of disclosure, I voted NDP in the election, because despite receiving significant financial support, this party was willing to part ways with this income in the interest of a healthy democracy; and I found that spoke to the integrity of the leadership of John Horgan.
The liberals – in contrast – gave back only illegal campaign contributions.
Your readers may ask:’ Why all the fuss and outcry?”
Well, the evidence is mounting in the US, where money (and dark money) has so corrupted the political process that little useful policies are enacted, Obama Care being a rare exception.
In fact, the dark money seems to have corrupted the US Supreme Court as the amount of money spent was around $20 million to get a particular nominee (just barely)confirmed.
So money talks, and large amounts of money scream influence.
Why would you give large amounts, when there is no payback? I would not, and any rational donor with deep pockets wouldn’t either; no business case here!
The Greens and NDP have shown integrity and courage to attack the elephant in the room – monied influence and its corrosive, corrupting effect on our democracy; and I say “our” democracy, because that is a shared, valued cornerstone of Canada. It belongs to all of us.
Monied influence seeks to destroy the functions of democracy by destroying the concept of one person, one vote.
Time to get this monkey of our democracy’s back.
Christian Stapff