MORE join the call for electoral reform

Don't you just love it when a great idea begins to take root and grow??

For many many years some workers have said their union dues should not be going to help finance election campaigns for parties they don't believe in ... others have said that businesses and corporation should not be making campaign donations either.

I believe they are right on both counts.

So does John Cummins and the BC Conservative Party who earlier in the year indicated that a BC Conservative government will enact legislation banning donations from unions and business to political parties.

I'm bringing this up today because, like I say, a good idea will take root and grow.  In recent weeks Integrity BC has begun a campaign "Who Really Runs BC"

Their initial media release on this campaign stated:

According to the organization, business and unions don't have the right to vote and they shouldn't have the right to underwrite the cost of BC election campaigns as they do now.

"The present law simply creates too many suspicions at a time when politicians don't need any more aspersions cast upon them. And as voters already know, there's no such thing as a free lunch," said executive director Dermod Travis. "These proposed changes are good for business, good for unions and best of all good for BC."

I believe they are 100% right on with this.  Which is why I am glad to see more agreement on what is policy with the BC Conservative Party.

Check out Article 2.  "Democratic Reform and Accountable Government" ... you'll like what you see there --- I guarantee it!!

In particular take a look at what point 2.1.12 has to say:

Enact legislation relating to political donations to registered British Columbia political parties, limiting such donations to those received only from individuals, and banning donations from corporations, unions, and all other such entities.

That IS NOT a statement you will find in either the NDP or Liberal policy book.  NOTE THE LAST FIVE WORDS.  Without them, people would see a loophole that could and would be used ... which is why they are important to the whole journey towards reforming our political system to make it more accountable.

Liberal MLA John Rustad started me thinking about this again today because on his Facebook page he was asking people to comment on a story he posted from the Victoria Times Colonist, "Making the case for electoral finance reform --Politicians should be responsible only to voters, not big spenders"

The comments in this story are from Integrity BC ... and here are just a few of the points in it:

• if voters truly want accountability and transparency restored to B.C. politics, it starts with prying the fingers of politicians off the wallets of large corporate and union donors, whether at the local or provincial level.

• no real rules when it comes to political donations in B.C.: no dollar limits, no geographic limits. Corporations and unions can donate as much as they want.

• B.C. is a laggard when it comes to electoral finance reform. Seven out of 10 provinces have implemented a variety of measures intended to clean up the political system.

• One fact is as bright as day: Those who must play by the rules shouldn't be the people who can also gain a political advantage by setting the rules. 

If people want a commitment to real electoral change it seems clear where that will come from ... John Cummins and the BC Conservatives.

That's because the 12 points made in the section on Democratic Reform and Accountable Government will NOT be found in the platform or policies of the BC Liberals ... or the BC New Democrats.

I'm Alan Forseth in Kamloops ... with the thoughts of one conservative