Reality Check: Pricing out the B.C. Liberal Pork-Barrel Program

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The B.C. Liberals are spending more than a million dollars doling out patronage jobs to their friends and failed B.C. Liberal candidates. These 21 appointments will cost taxpayers $1.17 million over a year:

Failed Candidates:

  • Christina Bates: Victoria-Swan Lake candidate, now MA to Stephanie Cadieux – $80,041 with benefits
  • Karen Bill: Victoria-Beacon Hill candidate, now Chief of Staff for Agriculture Minister – $80,041 with benefits
  • Hector Bremner: New Westminster candidate, now EA to Teresa Wat – $62,073 with benefits
  • Nick Facey: North Island candidate, now Chief of Staff of Advanced Education Minister – $108,628 with benefits
  • Scott Harrison: Vancouver-West End candidate, now MA to Steve Thompson – $80,041 with benefits
  • Sharon Hartwell: Stikine Candidate, appointed to Northern Health Board – $10,000*
  • Gabby Kalaw: Vancouver-Kensington candidate, now MA to Teresa Wat – $97,193 with benefits
  • Carole Leclerc: Skeena candidate, appointed to Northern Health Board – $10,000*
  • Rishi Sharma: Saanich-South candidate, Chief of Staff for Job’s Minister – $108,628 with benefits
  • Fatima Siddiqui: Vancouver-Hastings candidate, became EA to Todd Stone – $80,041 with benefits
  • Sukhminder Virk: Surrey-Newton candidate, appointed to the board of the Justice Institute – $1000-$2000*
  • Barbara Lu: Port Coquitlam candidate, former Human Resource Analyst for Board Resourcing – $49,610 annually with benefits
  • Steve Housser: Cowichan Valley candidate, former manager, strategic planning and events – $18,960 ($395/day)
  • Steve Kim: Coquitlam-Maillardville candidate, now Member of Multicultural Advisory Council
  • Ken Kramer: Burnaby-Lougheed candidate, now chairman of the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board

B.C. Liberal Insiders:

  • Gordon Wilson, Christy Clark-endorser and radio call-in faker, now LNG Buy BC Advocate – $150,000/yr.
  • Kenneth Fung, radio call-in faker, appointed to the UBC Board of Governors

Former B.C. Liberal MLAs:

  • Ben Stewart, former MLA for Westside-Kelowna, Asia Trade Commissioner – $150,000
  • John Les, former MLA for Chilliwack, now Chairman of the B.C. Farm Industry Review Board – $60,000
  • Colin Hansen, former MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena, now Director of the Transportation Investment Corporation – $17,750
  • Margaret Macdiarmid, former MLA for Vancouver-Fairview, appointed to Vancouver Coastal Health Authority board – $10,000*

 

* = approximate