BC MLAs’ Public Disclosures Aren’t Accessible Online – So, We’ve Posted Them

As a public service, The Tyee is posting the public disclosure statements the 85 members of British Columbia’s legislative assembly made for 2016.

Arrived at in consultation with conflict of interest commissioner Paul Fraser, the annual statements for each MLA and their families include assets, liabilities and sources of income, though they do not include dollar values. They also list any gifts an MLA may have received with a value greater than $250.

Despite it being 2017, however, the statements are not routinely available online.

Instead, they can be had by request through the office of the clerk of the legislative assembly, something few British Columbians are likely to know. Even fewer are likely to bother.

The Tyee and a few other reporters do make a point of asking for the statements each year, and we’ve had copies of this year’s since the end of November.

Among the stories we’ve discovered from reviewing the statements in recent years were the former healthy eating minister’s investments in pizza restaurants, a former cabinet minister’s investment in a company with which his ministry had a large contract, a current cabinet minister’s family business selling software to public bodies, and the finance minister’s extensive Abbotsford real estate holdings.

They were also the reason we knew to ask Premier Christy Clark back in 2012 about her pay from the BC Liberal Party, which she at the time claimed was a car allowance. Last week, she said she would stop receiving the money after admitting last year the party gave her as much as $50,000 a year.

In defending that pay, by the way, Clark at times noted the leader’s stipend has been “publicly disclosed” since 1993.

That disclosure isn’t much use, though, if the document is difficult for anyone in the public to get. So, following are links to last year’s disclosures for Clark, her cabinet and all 85 government and opposition MLAs.

Cabinet (BC Liberals)

CLARK, Hon. Christy
The Premier
Westside-Kelowna

ANTON, Hon. Suzanne
Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Vancouver-Fraserview

BARNETT, Donna
Minister of State for Rural Economic Development
Cariboo-Chilcotin

BENNETT, Hon. Bill
Minister of Energy and Mines and Minister Responsible for Core Review
Kootenay East

BERNIER, Hon. Mike
Minister of Education
Peace River South

BOND, Hon. Shirley
Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour
Prince George-Valemount

CADIEUX, Hon. Stephanie
Minister of Children and Family Development
Surrey-Cloverdale

COLEMAN, Hon. Rich
Deputy Premier and Minister of Natural Gas Development and Minister Responsible for Housing
Fort Langley-Aldergrove

de JONG, Q.C., Hon. Michael
Minister of Finance and Government House Leader
Abbotsford West

FASSBENDER, Hon. Peter
Minister of Community, Sport, Cultural Development and Minister Responsible for TransLink
Surrey-Fleetwood

LAKE, Hon. Dr. Terry
Minister of Health
Kamloops-North Thompson

LETNICK, Hon. Norm
Minister of Agriculture
Kelowna-Lake Country

MORRIS, Hon. Mike
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Prince George-Mackenzie

OAKES, Hon. Coralee
Minister of Small Business, Red Tape Reduction and Minister Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch
Cariboo North

RUSTAD, Hon. John
Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Nechako Lakes

STONE, Hon. Todd
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Deputy House Leader
Kamloops-South Thompson

POLAK, Hon. Mary
Minister of Environment
Langley

STILWELL, Hon. Michelle
Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation
Parksville-Qualicum

THOMSON, Hon. Steve
Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Kelowna-Mission

VIRK, Hon. Amrik
Minister of Technology, Innovation and Citizens' Services
Surrey Tynehead

WAT, Hon. Teresa
Minister of International Trade and Minister Responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism
Richmond Centre

WILKINSON, Hon. Andrew
Minister of Advanced Education
Vancouver-Quilchena

YAMAMOTO, Hon. Naomi
Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness
North Vancouver-Lonsdale

Party in power (remaining BC Liberals)

ASHTON, Dan
Penticton

BING, Dr. Doug
Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows

DALTON, Marc
Maple Ridge-Mission

FOSTER, Eric
Vernon-Monashee

GIBSON, Simon
Abbotsford-Mission

HAMILTON, Wm. Scott
Delta North

HOGG, Gordon
Surrey-White Rock

HUNT, Marvin
Surrey-Panorama

KYLLO, Greg
Shuswap

LARSON, Linda
Boundary-Silmilkameen

LEE, Richard T.
Burnaby North

MARTIN, John
Chilliwack

McRAE, Don
Comox Valley

PLECAS, Dr. Darryl
Abbotsford South

REID, Hon. Linda
Richmond East

REIMER, Linda
Port Moody-Coquitlam

STILWELL, Dr. Moira
Vancouver-Langara

STURDY, Jordan
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky

SULLIVAN, Sam
Vancouver-False Creek

SULTAN, Ralph
West Vancouver-Capilano

TEGART, Jackie
Fraser-Nicola

THORNTHWAITE, Jane
North Vancouver-Seymour

THRONESS, Laurie
Chilliwack-Hope

YAP, John
Richmond-Steveston

Opposition (NDP of BC)

AUSTIN, Robin
Skeena

BAINS, Harry
Surrey-Newton

CHANDRA HERBERT, Spencer
Vancouver-West End

CHOUHAN, Raj
Burnaby Edmonds

CONROY, Katrine
Kootenay West

CORRIGAN, Kathy
Burnaby-Deer Lake

DARCY, Judy
New Westminster

DIX, Adrian
Vancouver-Kingsway

DONALDSON, Doug
Stikine

EBY, David
Vancouver-Point Grey

ELMORE, Mable
Vancouver-Kensington

FARNWORTH, Mike
Port Coquitlam

FLEMING, Rob
Victoria-Swan Lake

FRASER, Scott
Alberni-Pacific Rim

HAMMELL, Sue
Surrey-Green Timbers

HEYMAN, George
Vancouver-Fairview

HOLMAN, Gary
Saanich North and the Islands

HORGAN, John
Juan de Fuca

JAMES, Carole
Victoria-Beacon Hill

KARAGIANIS, Maurine
Esquimalt-Royal Roads

KROG, Leonard Eugene
Nanaimo

MACDONALD, Norm
Columbia River-Revelstoke

MARK, Melanie
Vancouver-Mount Pleasant

MUNGALL, Michelle
Nelson-Creston

POPHAM, Lana
Saanich South

RALSTON, Bruce
Surrey-Whalley

RICE, Jennifer
North Coast

ROBINSON, Selina
Coquitlam-Maillardville

ROUTLEY, Bill
Cowichan Valley

ROUTLEY, Doug
Nanaimo-North Cowichan

SHIN, Jane Jae Kyung
Burnaby-Lougheed

SIMONS, Nicholas
Powell River-Sunshine Coast

SIMPSON, Shane
Vancouver-Hastings

TREVENA, Claire
North Island

WICKENS, Jodie
Coquitlam-Burke Mountain

Green Party

WEAVER, Dr. Andrew
Oak Bay

Independents

HUNTINGTON, Vicki
Delta South

PIMM, Pat
Peace River North