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BC Liberals debt-free, declares Rennie

Real estate marketing magnate shares the good news at fundraising wing-ding

Christy Clark, Bob Rennie

Real estate marketing magnate Bob Rennie has declared the B.C. Liberals “officially debt-free.”

The announcement came Tuesday evening at the party’s fundraising dinner, where Rennie, chair of the Liberals' fundraising committee, spoke at the podium side-by-side with Premier Christy Clark. 

Rennie has himself been a major BC Liberal supporter since at least 2005, donating more than $240,000 to the party over the last 10 years. 

There are virtually no limits on the amount of money provincial parties are legally allowed to raise or from whom, says Dermod Travis, director of Integrity BC, an electoral reform advocacy group. Unlike other provinces such as Alberta and Ontario, B.C. doesn’t limit donations by corporations, unions or individuals, except immediately prior to and during an election campaign.

BC Liberal fundraising efforts include an appearance by Premier Clark at the Petroleum Club in Calgary, a fundraiser hosted by Alberta billionaire oilman Murray Edwards. Edwards is also the controlling shareholder of Imperial Metals Corp., which owns the Mount Polley Mine.  

Additionally, in British Columbia third parties enjoy a constitutional right to spend freely outside a campaign period.

— with files from Danny Kresnyak and Elizabeth McSheffrey

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