B.C. Greens turn down B.C. NDP's request to share membership lists amid leadership race

The B.C. Green Party has rejected a request by the B.C. New Democrats for a review of their membership lists by a neutral third party.

The B.C. NDP say the request came after an audit "revealed a significant number of current and former B.C. Greens applying for membership in the B.C. NDP."

In a letter to the Greens, B.C. NDP Provincial Director Heather Stoutenburg said the constitutions for both parties require exclusive membership. 

"B.C. Green members cannot be members of the B.C. NDP and vice-versa," the letter reads.

The NDP says it has heard from current and former Green members who said they've told fellow Greens to temporarily suspend their memberships to join the B.C. NDP, who are set to select a new leader to succeed John Horgan. 

Former federal NDP candidate and climate activist Anjali Appadurai is challenging David Eby, who has stepped down from his roles as attorney general and minister responsible for housing, for the top spot.

"Joining the B.C. NDP for the sole purpose of voting in a leadership election while retaining membership in the B.C. Greens or while on temporary hiatus is fraudulent," the letter says.

The NDP asked the Greens to review member lists for both parties, saying its proposal complies with privacy laws and B.C.'s Election Act.

The Greens turned down the request.

"Our privacy policy prohibits the disclosure of our members' personal information to third parties, except in limited circumstances. Your request does not meet these criteria," reads a letter to Stoutenburg from B.C. Green Provincial Council Chair Jeremy Valeriote.

Hamish Telford, associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley, said it's not surprising that the Greens chose not to share information about membership.

"Parties are not in the habit of sharing their lists with anybody, yet alone other parties," he said.

While parties don't allow for simultaneous membership, reality can be more complicated, he said.

"You're supposed to take an oath of loyalty, but you can say, 'Well I don't like that party anymore, I'm changing,' and not actually cancel your old membership," he said. "It can be very fluid and it gets very fluid, especially during leadership contests."

The NDP said Friday it is disappointed by the Greens' response, saying it's in both parties' interest to have members who are genuinely engaged in the party's mission.

It went on to say that election laws dictate that a party's primary purpose is to get MLAs elected. 

"If a significant portion of the B.C. Green membership is attempting a hostile takeover of the B.C. NDP, this does not reflect well on the B.C. Green Party and we would wonder whether it puts its status as a registered political party in jeopardy," the statement said.

Investigations surround Appadurai's campaign

Elections B.C. and the NDP are both investigating whether an environmental group improperly contributed to Appadurai's campaign.

The group, Dogwood, is accused of effectively donating to Appadurai's campaign by using its resources to encourage people to sign up for NDP memberships and vote in the race.

The group allegedly sent emails and texts in recent weeks encouraging its membership to join the NDP, fundraising and organizing around phone banks and pressing Green Party members to switch parties.

Some of that work could violate rules under the Election Act around third-party contributions to leadership campaigns.

A Dogwood spokesperson told CBC News his group contacted Elections B.C. to inquire about the rules when the race was announced, and was told they could communicate to their own membership.

The B.C. NDP launched an investigation earlier this month into allegations that outside help had offered to pay the $10 membership fee for Appadurai supporters who were looking to join the party before the deadline to vote in the leadership race. The offer was reportedly made during an Instagram Live.

Under the B.C. Election Act, it is illegal to pay for someone else's party membership.

Voting for the new leader could begin as early as Nov. 13, with results expected by Dec. 3.