(MONSTER INDEX)
The Politics of Roads?
You be the judge….
This Monster Index was generated by Donna Passmore of the Farmland Defense League when she emailed this data to various enviros. She outlined that when groups began campaigning against Premier Gordon Campbell and Cabinet Minister Kevin Falcon's “horrific” Gateway Plan six years ago, that she and others quickly realized that the movement of goods and people was really a secondary issue that was overshadowed by the opportunities Gateway could provide as it poured billions of taxpayer dollars into the hands of corporations who in turn “generously filled BC Liberal's campaign coffers”.
She soon discovered that a 2008 donation by the New Car Dealers Association of BC of $100,000 affirmed suspicions.
“In addition to the organizations that benefit from the actual construction, some research I was doing this afternoon demonstrates that long after construction is complete, the expanded highways provide the BC Liberals with opportunities to support generous highway maintenance contracts to their friends and donors,” said Passmore.
“Significantly increasing the amount of lane means more money for friends of the BC Liberals.”
According to Passmore’s findings, a comparison of the companies awarded highway maintenance contracts with political donations reveals the BC Liberals have given billions of dollars worth of 10 year contracts to their donors and friends:
Emil Anderson Maintenance Co (Service Area 7 - Fraser Valley) contract value: $14,222,302
- Corporate donations to BC Liberal Party: $18,188.00
- Robert J Haell, President, donations to BC Liberals - 1,320
Lakes District Maintenance Ltd. (Service Area 28 - Stikine) contract value $10,362.581
- Corporate Donation: 2008 - $500
Argo Road Maintenance (Service Area 13 - Okanagan Shuswap) contract value $12,348,242
- Corporate donations to BC Liberals: $24,900.00
Emcon Services Inc. (Service Area 3 ) contract value $14,815,028.00
(Service Area 2) contract value: $11,367,443.00
(Service Area 9) contract value: $10,672,662.00
- Corporate donations: 2005-2009 - $1,750.00
Mainroad Contracting Ltd. (Service area 4 - Howe Sound) contract value: $9,123,338
(Service area 6 - Lower Mainland) contract value: $13,296,668
(Service area 1 - South Island) contract value: $10,326,383
(Service area 11 - East Kootenay) contract value: $13,143,638
TOTAL $45,890,027
- Corporate Donations to BC Liberal Party: $14,988.00
- 2006 - G & E Equipment Rentals (affiliate company) $1,000.00
- David Zerr, Pres & CEO 5,688.00
O'Brien Road & Bridge Maintenance (Service Area - North Coast) contract value $3,169,830
- No known political contributions
HMC Services (Joe Wrobel, Pres & General Manager) (Service Area 12 - Selkirk)
contract value: 9,740,155
- No known political contributions
Yellowhead Road & Bridge (North Peace) Ltd. (Service Area 22) - contract value: $14,091,578
(Service Area 19 - Fort George) contract value: $12,931,625
(Service Area 10 - Central Kootenay) contract value: $16,167,159
TOTAL $45,190,362.00
- YRB Group corporate contributions to BC Liberal Party: 2005-2009 - $6,490.00
Interior Roads Ltd. – (Company of Donna Barnett, BC Liberal Parliamentary Secretary)
Service Area 16 - South Cariboo contract value: $12,754,459
- Corporate donations to Liberal Party: 2005-2009 - $3,000
- Donna Barnett personal donations - 2006-2007 $800
- Jack Barnett (husband) personal donation 2009 - $300
VSA Highway Maintenance (Gilowski Group of Companies) (Service Area 14 - Nicola)
contract value: $12,595,325.00
- Corporate donations from affiliate company (2005) - Okanagan Aggregate - $850.00
Caribou Road Services (South) Ltd. - contract value: $13,370,870.00
- Corporate donations 2005-2009: $5,000.00
Billabong Road & Bridge Maintenance : contract value: $9,509,105.00
- Corporate donations to BC Liberal Party: 205-2009 $2,350.00
The Monster Index is about ordinary people exploring statistics and making extraordinary discoveries. Share your research discoveries – Email us at mediaservices@uniserve.com
