15 November 2010

Un(der)reported by BC Media: BC Liberal leadership cap

The BC Liberal executive decided on Saturday the dates for their next biennial convention (May 13-14) and the ratification of their new voting system (Feb 12). The latter will be applied to the yet-to-be-announced leadership race.

Not announced in the BC Liberal news release and so ignored by BC's lazy media monopolies, which prefer to regurgitate what is handed to them, is this nugget:

Two changes that don't require ratification have already been made. Public Eye has learned the spending cap for leadership candidates has been increased to $450,000 from $75,000. And the executive is requiring those candidates pay a $25,000 entrance fee.

Only the well-connected to the well-heeled, therefore, stand a chance of becoming leader. This is despite

a preferential ballot system which would give every riding the same weight in voting.

The change would abandon a system Mr. Campbell put in place, when he won the leadership 17 years ago by packing the convention with Vancouver supporters, and create a more even playing field for candidates from rural ridings.

The fix is in, folks. The change to the voting system supposedly intended to give BC Liberal leadership contenders in rural ridings an equal shot is effectively made null by the leadership spending cap of $450,000.

Most rural ridings I know haven't the population to fund big campaigns.

Seems to me the BC 'Liberal' Party is at it again, this time with its own people. It's give on the one hand, take with the other.

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