VICTORIA — British Columbia's Opposition Liberals say the New Democrat government's legislation to get big money out of politics comes with a huge broken promise from Premier John Horgan.
Liberal house leader Mike de Jong pointed out during question period that Horgan promised he would not stick taxpayers with the cost of campaign finance reforms before forming government, but the proposed legislation would see political parties paid about $30 million in public money.
De Jong says the Liberals, who tabled a private member's bill to ban corporate and union donations to political parties last week, will oppose the NDP legislation.
Horgan says he cannot deny prior to the May election that he wanted the funding of political parties to be reviewed independently, now he's satisfied the current taxpayer-funded proposal has merit because it is temporary.
The premier says British Columbians overwhelmingly support legislation that bans donations to political parties by unions and corporations and caps contribution amounts by individuals.
The proposed legislation states that starting next year, political parties will be paid $2.50 for every vote they received in the last election and funding will drop by 25 cents each year until 2021.
