BC Liberals attempt to limit free speech to keep corporate donations advantage with Bill 42

Bill Tieleman’s 24 Hours Column
Tuesday May 20, 2008

Bill 42 an insult to free speech

By BILL TIELEMAN

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

- George Washington

Make no mistake about the intent of the B.C. Liberal government's attempt to almost ban third-party advertising prior to an election - it is to preserve the corporate financial power that backs their party.

Premier Gordon Campbell wants to severely restrict advertising by any group - other than a political party - for five full months before a provincial vote.

Why? Forget Attorney-General Wally Oppal's spin that Bill 42, the Elections Amendment Act will make voting "more fair, more transparent, more democratic."

It does exactly the opposite. Here's how.

In the 2005 election year, the B.C. Liberal Party raised a massive $13 million -$10 million or 77 per cent of that from corporations.

The B.C. New Democrats raised $7.5 million and the Green Party just $185,000, with only a tiny fraction from business.

That left the Liberals with a commanding $5.5 million advantage - an enormous amount to spend on advertising, polling, phoning, staff, and more - thanks to corporate donations.

But that advantage could be eroded by third-party ads because some groups, like the B.C. Teachers' Federation, don't give money to political parties.

Instead the BCTF ran ads that strongly advocated for quality public education - pointing out Campbell's disastrous record of slashing school funding.

So now the Liberals want to squash third-party advertising that might affect their re-election - by all but banning it.

The new advertising limit would be only $3,000 per riding or a maximum $150,000 province-wide - maybe enough for a dozen 30-second prime time television ads in total.

And guess what? The BCTF spent $1.5 million - 10 times that proposed limit - in advertising last election.

But the B.C. Liberals go much further than just limiting ads that directly oppose or support a political party.

Bill 42, the Election Amendment Act - set to be passed by May 29 - actually proposes this restriction: "An advertising message that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a registered political party... including an advertising message that takes a position on an issue with which a registered political party or candidate is associated."

This part is astonishing. For example, if northern towns wanted to run ads saying a carbon tax is a bad idea - without even mentioning a party - their campaign would be restricted because the B.C. Liberals are "associated" with the tax.

But there's another possible result if this legislation is passed despite all protests.

Organizations which have never contributed to political parties and want their voices heard may have no other choice but to write a large cheque to a political party that supports free speech.

That party will not be the B.C. Liberals.