Vancouver: Civic parties spent record $4 million on election

Vancouver Sun Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Civic parties spent record $4 million on election
By Frances Bula

Vancouver civic election spending soared to new heights last fall, with the three major parties spending a total of $4 million.

The city's fledgling party, Vision Vancouver, raised a whopping $1.4 million from its formation in early 2005 until the November election date, according to campaign-financing statements filed with city hall Monday.

But, even though that was more than any other party had spent in the past, it was still edged out financially -- as it was at the polls -- by the city's long-established Non-Partisan Association.

The NPA, which has dominated city politics for most of the last 70 years but was almost wiped out in the 2002 election, raised $1.9 million between the party and its 26 candidates.

The Coalition of Progressive Electors, which swept to power in 2002 and then fractured as some city councillors formed Vision Vancouver, raised and spent only about $530,000.

Almost 70 per cent of that money -- $360,000 -- came from unions.

In contrast, Vision Vancouver, which marketed itself as a more "centrist" left-wing party, got only $170,000 from unions, but about $1 million from businesses, and about $200,000 from individuals. It spent more than it got in donations and is carrying a debt of $167,000.

The NPA saw its usual hefty donations from corporations to both the party and candidates, but its statement indicated that the party got over $500,000 in donations from individuals.

NPA president Matt Taylor said he was pleased with the financial showing, which he said was a sign that "the NPA worked hard and it was a reflection of the fact that the NPA message was getting through."

But Vision Vancouver spokesman Josh Coles said that although he was pleased that Vision donations showed the party was attracting a broad range of support from unions to businesses to individuals, the amounts spent are a bad sign for democracy.

"It's time for campaign finance reform," said Coles. "Campaigns keep ratcheting up. At some point, there has to be a discussion about limits. I would like to ask the mayor to take this on."

Mayor Sam Sullivan, who had just returned from the Paralympic Games in Turin, shook his head in disbelief at the numbers, which indicated that his personal campaign had raised almost $500,000.

His only comment was that "I'm just a little guy from the east side."

Among the NPA's largest donors were Concord Pacific, which gave a total of about $50,000 to the NPA and its council and park candidates, Great Canadian Gaming, with $15,000, developer Rob Macdonald, who gave $35,000 to the party and Sullivan, along with individual contributions to candidates, and Wal-Mart development consultants First Professional Management, who gave $10,000.

But Vision Vancouver, which came within a few thousand votes of being able to dominate council with a Vision-COPE coalition, set records with some of its single-source donations and its corporate donations to a somewhat left-wing party. Among the list:

- $170,000 from Eagle Medallion Fortress Investment Corp., a company owned by retired Calgary businessman and philanthropist John Lefebvre, who has a special interest in homelessness and became a Jim Green supporter after touring the Downtown Eastside with him;

- $75,000 from realtor Bob Rennie's company, Rennie Marketing Systems;

- $48,250 from Concord Pacific;

- $45,000 from developer Simon Lim through his companies Ashford Management and Holborn;

- $30,750 from Great Canadian Casino;

- $30,000 from a mystery company called Xiang Enterprises Ltd., whose director is listed as a Dario Giannandrea from Montreal.

- $20,000 from the Keg Restaurants;

- $9,100 from Telus Communications.

Concord Pacific, which appears to have contributed the most to the election overall by giving generously to all three parties, gave $9,250 to COPE.

COPE Coun. David Cadman said his party members are pleased with the way the party did a lot with a restricted budget. There were complaints after the 2002 election, when COPE was left with a $300,000 debt, after spending $1.1 million.

This time, the party owes five councillors $5,000 apiece that they put up to run a full-page ad in The Vancouver Sun in the last week of the election.

fbula@png.canwest.com