The Best City Money Can Buy
In investigative pieces in the Vancouver Sun today (April 30), the following stories, and others, hit the headlines:
“Searchable database: Who is funding your local council?
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Searchable+database+funding+your+local+council/2968189/story.html
Municipal election donations obscured by red tape, low-tech and council belligerence
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Municipal+election+donations+obscured+tape+tech+council+belligerence/2968184/story.html#ixzz0me1c4T2F
Illegal campaign contributions: Getting past ‘not in the public interest to proceed’
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Illegal+campaign+contributions+Getting+past+public+interest+proceed/2968178/story.html#ixzz0me1ptEcx
Help The Sun figure out who’s bankrolling local politicians
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Help+figure+bankrolling+local+politicians/2968035/story.html#ixzz0me46J0Fq
These stories make for some interesting reading and give us pause to ponder the nature of our democracy and perhaps some insight into why Nanaimo develops as it does. In the Print edition it was noted that the main contributors to candidates were developers, builders and the unions. Unfortunately the only communities examined were in the lower mainland, but the record in Nanaimo is similar. Very few individuals contribute and developers, builders and unions give generously. If you want to do a little research, in Nanaimo contribution filings are stored on the city’s web site and can be accessed at: http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/departments/Legislative-Services/4609/12679/20765/DisclosureDocuments.html
Ron Bolin
Posts and Comments on Nanaimo Governance 
CUPE was a major contributor to select candidates running for Mayor and Council in the larger cities in metro Vancouver and Nanaimo.The candidates that received funding from CUPE B.C. and the various CUPE locals were those that the union felt would promote their agenda of higher wages and increased benefits for their members.
Here are the total amount of CUPE donations by municipality.
Vancouver……………….$ 439,550
Surrey………………….$ 112,000
Burnaby…………………$ 62,480
Coquitlam……………….$ 33,000
Nanaimo…………………$ 28,800
North Van.City…………..$ 16,000
New Westminster………….$ 10,900
Port Coquitlam…………..$ 7,000
Richmond………………..$ 6,000
Some of the CUPE donations went to major civic parties.In addition to the above amounts,CUPE B.C. also spent $69,198 for province wide election expenses promoting their agenda.
Needless to say this sum of cash can purchase a lot of influence in a municipality where the Union is successful in electing candidates of their choice.