Big Oil is funding the BC Liberals. Earlier this years Christy Clark, BC Premier flew into Calgary and met with Oil Executives and held a fundraiser for her political party. Clark is travelling a well laid road, former Premier Gordon Campbell built the road.
What seems unusual is the urgency attached to these appeals. Big Oil is eager to attend. Now there can be only one real good thing these folks care about BC this time out. Pipeline.
The BC New Democrats are way out front in the polls. It will take a major miracle for the Liberals to win or a lot more money. Already we are seeing that money in action. Several attack sites have been set up, many of them created on government time by OIC appointments in the Premier's Office. Then there are the BC Govt ads on TV. To date in the two years she has been Premier, Christie Clark has spent 64 million dollars on govt ads.
Then there is the former logging CEO, Jim Shepard who has raised over half a million dollars with the goal to raising over a million for an extremely nasty series of attack ads on the BC NDP under the guise of a grassroots campaign called Concerned Citizens For BC. The group can spend as much as they want prior to the beginning of the election period. They can get money from whomever they wish. No disclosure required. The Koch brothers could make a donation and we wouldn't know it. You can likely count on Enbridge to donate, especially since they need not be worried about people finding out.
The Liberals manage to out spend the NDP almost two to one every election. This time out they will likely smash their record spending of the 2009 campaign.
We still have to see who else will jump into the fray. Expect independent contractors, forest companies, Insurance companies & resellers, car dealers and Chamber of Commerce.
Look to the nastiest BC campaign ever, if you think your province has nasty campaigns you haven't seen the effort produced by BC's right wing free enterprisers. Expect the BCTF, BC FED and other NDP friendly groups attempt to match the Liberals gang.
Financial Post: Alberta powerbrokers throw lifeline to B.C. premier as threat of tougher pipeline fight from NDP looms
The Tyee: Right-wing Group Plans 'Blanket Coverage' Ad Blitz against BC NDP
