MLA, BC First President talk shop

BC First Party interim president Gary Young, left, recently met with independent Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson for a political parley at a Williams Lake coffee house, where they discussed some mutual interests.

Independent Cariboo North MLA Bob Simpson and BC First Party interim president Gary Young met recently for an informal, political conversation in a Williams Lake bistro.

Simpson says he and Young discussed a bill, calling for a “pretty radical change” to election financing, the MLA currently has in front of the legislature.

“Young indicated he liked the idea I had put forward, that the only way you can really honour ‘one person, one vote’ is to allow only the people who have the right to vote to donate to political parties.”

Simpson notes some organizations, such as large corporations and unions, use money to distort this principle (that all citizens are entitled to equal legislative representation), as do some wealthy individuals.

By disallowing political contributions by organizations or anyone not registered to vote, he says, directly ties one’s intention to vote to their right to donate.

His proposed method also caps donations to political parties to $1,000 year, and Simpson notes it forces the candidates, politicians and parties to go back to the voters.

Young says Simpson and BC First are “like minded” and they have also “both joined hands” with Integrity BC in its petition to pursue similar electoral change.

Young adds BC First believes in more constituency representation instead of top-down mandates for politicians to toe the party line whether they like it or not.

“We don’t agree with the lobbyist principles.”

Simpson confirms his office is talking with Integrity BC about its campaign on election reform.

While lobbying is restricted by the Lobbyists Registration Act, he says this control has varying degrees of success, but his private member’s bill on election finance reform can place the voters in the driver’s seat.

“With my reform plan] they can whisper in my ear all they want about various other things, but I know as a politician in order to fundraise for my next campaign, I’ve got to go to individual citizens with a right to vote. I have to listen to them, and I have to reflect what they say in what I do, and in what I say….”

Simpson adds his bill is currently on the order paper for this current legislative session.

Alliance with independents

Young and Simpson also discussed their mutual efforts toward promoting more independent political representatives in the province.

Simpson says he constantly encourages and supports others to run as independent candidates across the province. He adds the BC First interim president agreed on that aspect of politics.

Young says his party is also seeking alliances with the province’s two independent MLAs.

“Our view is that if we had a provincial government run by independents, or the independents had the balance of power, we would see a government far more responsive to the problems we have.

“We like the idea and our slogan will be “an alliance of independent thought.”

BC First plans to provide support to “like-minded individuals” who would run as independents, he says, such as offering them availability to its web-based and election resources.

He adds while BC First continues to pursue working together with independents, having more candidates within the party is also a priority.

“We would love to run some [BC First] candidates in the upcoming election, and if they do, they will have our assurance they will be treated as independents. No one at the top will be telling them what to do.”