B.C. United solicits donations to climb out of $1 million financial hole
The party which suspended its 2024 campaign wants to avoid bankruptcy and being deregistered
B.C. United suffered a crushing blow this summer after Leader Kevin Falcon withdrew the party from the provincial election campaign.
Now, Falcon is quietly soliciting donations to prevent the party formerly known as the B.C. Liberals from declaring bankruptcy and collapsing entirely.
The party sent a fundraising email to supporters last week, which read in part: "The need is substantial — we must raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in the coming weeks to fulfil our obligations and ensure the party remains registered."
Being deregistered by Elections B.C. would make it illegal for the party to collect further donations and nearly impossible for it to stage a comeback.
It owes $930,000 to various vendors and some former candidates who fronted their own costs during the election campaign before it was suspended.
That's according to internal party notes leaked to CBC News based on a Dec. 7 provincial council meeting. The meeting was attended by Falcon, party executive and riding association presidents.
The notes also reveal B.C. United's donations were dwindling after rebranding from the B.C. Liberals and in the summer leading up to the provincial election. Things were so dire that the party was unable to secure the $3 million bank loan needed to float the campaign.
That was the backdrop for Falcon's decision to throw in the towel on the election campaign and throw his support behind the B.C. Conservatives, hoping John Rustad would take some of the party's best candidates.
That call has drawn derision from centrists within the party, like former B.C. United MLA Karin Kirkpatrick, who says the rug was pulled out from candidates in the least democratic way possible.
If the party doesn't raise that money by the end of January, it could risk declaring bankruptcy and being deregistered as a political party.
However, going cap in hand to people who feel abandoned by the party isn't sitting well with former B.C. Liberal loyalists.
"Unfortunately, that's what I've been hearing from people who are saying, are you serious?" said former Peace River South MLA Mike Bernier.
"To go and ask for money right now at Christmastime right after an election where there was really a lot of hard feelings … a lot of people are really sore over what Kevin Falcon did," Bernier said.
The party's staff has dwindled from 27 to five, and B.C. United is now trying to sublet its office space, whose rent is more than $19,000 a month.
Falcon did not respond to multiple requests from CBC News for comment.
Resurrection needed, former MLA says
Kirkpatrick wants to resurrect the party – under the former B.C. Liberal Party banner.
"I've talked a lot about the need for a centre party in British Columbia, and that was taken away from us in the last election," said the former West Vancouver-Capilano MLA.
Ernie Klassen, who was set to run for B.C. United in Surrey South believes Falcon should turn over the reins to a new leader.
"He needs to step aside and let the party rebuild itself," Klassen said.
Klassen and many other former B.C. United candidates are still out of pocket for money they spent on their campaign, and the candidate says he has very little hope of being reimbursed.
Falcon is not being paid by the party, according to B.C. United insiders.
Former B.C. United and B.C. Liberal spokesperson Andrew Reeve hopes the party can clear its debts and rise from the ashes.
"Centre-right folks who maybe don't find a home within the B.C. Conservatives, centre-left folks who don't have a home within the B.C. NDP, a lot of them are feeling quite politically homeless right now," Reeve said.
Whether or not that home could be found under the banner of the old B.C. Liberals remains the million dollar question.
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