Third-party sponsors in the District of Sechelt spent more money to unseat incumbent mayor John Henderson than successful challenger Bruce Milne spent on his entire campaign, disclosure statements released Monday by Elections BC revealed.
In all, third-party campaigns critical of the previous council’s record under Henderson spent more than $22,000 leading up to the Nov. 15 municipal election.
By comparison, Milne spent about $16,600 after receiving contributions of $20,700. All but $1,000 was raised from individuals, 41 of them contributing $100 or more.
Henderson, who was seeking a second term as mayor, spent just over $35,000 in the campaign, with almost $15,000 contributed by individuals who gave $100 or more and almost $19,700 from corporations.
Among anti-Henderson third-party sponsors, Vote for Change spent more than $10,500. While Thomas Clelland of Roberts Creek and Donald Robb of Sechelt were listed as the group’s principal officials, retired businessman Uwe Mummenhoff contributed all the funds, the disclosure statements said.
The Vote for Change campaign called for ending the previous council’s “arrogant disregard for public input,” along with its “secret meetings,” “back-door deals” and “bullying tactics.” In later ads, the campaign became overtly pro-Milne.
Another big anti-Henderson campaigner, resident Marc Nixon, spent $8,266 on third-party ads that featured slogans such as “Mayor Henderson is unbelievable!” and “Wonderfull!” All but $150 came from his own pocket.
Nixon said Tuesday he had spent $5,000 before the election on legal bills fighting the District, until a lawyer advised him to take the fight to the ballot box.
“So I quit spending on lawyers and started spending on advertising,” Nixon said. “It was the price of democracy for me.”
Also campaigning against Henderson, George Goudie spent almost $3,000 (putting up $2,700 of his own money) and Gordon Walker spent $516.
The only third-party sponsor who could be described as pro-Henderson was Doug Spani of Spani Developments Ltd., who spent $1,287 on a full page ad in Coast Reporter that “respectfully” disagreed with a statement on jobs attributed to Milne and urged readers to “think before you vote.”
The province defines a third-party sponsor as “an individual or organization that conducts election advertising independently from any candidate or elector organization.” It can include advertising for or against a candidate or on a specific issue.
Disclosure statements from the winning council candidates showed that newcomer Noel Muller spent the most ($6,893), followed by incumbents Darnelda Siegers ($4,876) and Alice Lutes ($4,810), newcomer Doug Wright ($3,258), former mayor Darren Inkster ($1,979) and incumbent Mike Shanks ($1,180).
Of the defeated candidates, Ed Steeves spent the most ($2,916), followed by Christine Stefanik ($2,600), Keith Thirkell ($2,550), Alice Janisch ($2,115), incumbent Tom Lamb ($1,231), Jon Bell ($1,145), Terry Karkabe ($370) and Norm Blair ($362). Michael Turner, who withdrew from the race but still managed to collect 257 votes, spent zero.
Among the largest contributions to council candidates were $2,712 to Muller’s campaign from resident Laurie Bloom and $2,000 to Lutes’ campaign from union organizations, half of it from CUPE BC.
In the mayoral race, Christine Young-husband, who finished third, spent $2,220 in the campaign, with the largest contribution from Vivien Ho ($500) and Mark Ho ($250). Besides Younghusband, seven people contributed $150 or more to her campaign.
Henderson’s largest contributions from individuals were $2,000 from Spani, $1,077 from Geoff White and Carolyn Minchin, $1,000 from Stuart Angus and $1,000 from Mark Sager.
His largest contributions from corporations were $2,700 from the late Paul Saunders of Custom Carpets and Interiors in Sechelt and $2,667 from Hal Mykolaishyn of MEDIchair Tri City in Port Coquitlam.
Contacted Tuesday, Mykolaishyn said the donation represented free use of his vacant commercial building on Cowrie Street for Henderson’s campaign activities. After trying unsuccessfully to lease the building, Mykolaishyn said he hoped the exposure would create interest in the property.
“I didn’t charge them to use the space because I used it as a marketing tool to promote the space,” he said, adding he didn’t know Henderson personally and was not trying to promote him.
Other large corporate donations to Henderson included $2,000 from Sunshine Coast Home Building Centre, $2,000 from Vancouver-based Sawarne Lumber Co., $2,000 from Appa Seafood Ltd. of Sechelt and $1,466 from Olson Electric.
Ballantree Consulting Group, Spar Capital Corp. president Lance Sparling, Porpoise Bay Logging Ltd. and Gibsons Building Supplies each contributed $1,000 to Henderson.
Top individual contributions to Milne’s campaign came from John Davies and Laurie Bloom, who each gave $2,500, and Betty Thompson and Jerry Thompson, who each donated $1,300. Sheila Page, Robert Evermon and Mummenhoff each gave $1,000. Milne’s only corporate contribution was $1,000 from Market Assist Communications Inc.
Contributions to Milne’s campaign exceeded his election expenses by $4,111. The surplus was paid to the District on Jan. 28, in accordance with Elections BC rules. The funds will be returned to Milne if he seeks re-election in 2018.
View the full disclosure statements for all candidates and third-party sponsors at www.elections.bc.ca and click on the local elections campaign financing link.
