The NDP has raised some serious questions concerning the lobbying activities of former BC Liberal cabinet minister Graham Bruce, and I thought you might like to know about them.
There are clear and simple laws in BC for lobbyists to follow:
It is illegal for a former cabinet minister to lobby the government for two years following their term.
It is also illegal for cabinet members or the Premier to give benefits to a former Minister who is lobbying them, before the 24 month cooling off period is over.
It is illegal to engage in lobbying contracts without registering with the government.
It is improper to use Treaty Support Funding for activities not related to treaties.
Mr. Bruce appears to have broken some if not all of these rules.
The NDP has asked the Campbell Liberals to investigate, but they refuse.
This week in the Legislature, I was told that Bruce denies he was a lobbyist. He claims that it "never crossed his mind" to register, despite the fact that Bruce was a cabinet minister in the government that implemented lobbyist registration.
However, quotes taken directly from the Cowichan Tribes treaty committee state that Bruce met directly with Gordon Campbell to secure the funds.
It sounds like lobbying to me.
Perhaps most worrisome is the Campbell government's indifference to this
controversy.
It's exactly this kind of indifference that has led to $400 million in
wasteful cost overruns at the Convention Centre.
It has resulted in years of neglect of seniors at care homes across the
province.
It has left dozens of small business owners affected by the Cambie Street Canada Line construction struggling or out of business entirely.
It has abandoned thousands of families living in rural communities
devastated by pine beetle infestation.
British Columbians deserve better than arrogance and indifference from
this government.
Stay tuned.
Yours truly,
Carole James
Leader,
B.C. New Democratic Party
There are clear and simple laws in BC for lobbyists to follow:
It is illegal for a former cabinet minister to lobby the government for two years following their term.
It is also illegal for cabinet members or the Premier to give benefits to a former Minister who is lobbying them, before the 24 month cooling off period is over.
It is illegal to engage in lobbying contracts without registering with the government.
It is improper to use Treaty Support Funding for activities not related to treaties.
Mr. Bruce appears to have broken some if not all of these rules.
The NDP has asked the Campbell Liberals to investigate, but they refuse.
This week in the Legislature, I was told that Bruce denies he was a lobbyist. He claims that it "never crossed his mind" to register, despite the fact that Bruce was a cabinet minister in the government that implemented lobbyist registration.
However, quotes taken directly from the Cowichan Tribes treaty committee state that Bruce met directly with Gordon Campbell to secure the funds.
It sounds like lobbying to me.
Perhaps most worrisome is the Campbell government's indifference to this
controversy.
It's exactly this kind of indifference that has led to $400 million in
wasteful cost overruns at the Convention Centre.
It has resulted in years of neglect of seniors at care homes across the
province.
It has left dozens of small business owners affected by the Cambie Street Canada Line construction struggling or out of business entirely.
It has abandoned thousands of families living in rural communities
devastated by pine beetle infestation.
British Columbians deserve better than arrogance and indifference from
this government.
Stay tuned.
Yours truly,
Carole James
Leader,
B.C. New Democratic Party
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Vancouver
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