Why would anyone give all that money to government officials?

[rugatika]

I never understood why businesses etc give thousands and millions of dollars to government officials, their pet projects, and other places of business that may employ said government officials in the future. It's not like they will get special favours from the government. I'm pretty sure that sort of stuff is frowned upon, if not illegal. Sure makes a fella scratch his head, just giving all that money away for no reason at all.

I tried having a $1500 a plate dinner once but nobody showed up. Not a single tycoon, not even anyone from Bombardier. I even got brand name Kraft Dinner...not the no-name stuff that peasants eat.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle32971362/

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the top draw at a $1,500 Liberal Party cash-for-access fundraiser at the mansion of a wealthy Chinese-Canadian business executive in May. One of the guests at the event was a well-heeled donor who was seeking Ottawa’s final approval to begin operating a new bank aimed at Canada’s Chinese community.

The Globe and Mail has learned that wealthy Chinese businessman Zhang Bin who, with a partner, donated $1-million to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and the University of Montreal Faculty of Law weeks after the fundraiser, also attended the event. Mr. Zhang is a political adviser to the Chinese government in Beijing and a senior apparatchik in the network of Chinese state promotional activities around the world.

Chinese Business Chamber of Commerce chair Benson Wong played host to Mr. Trudeau and 32 other people at his Toronto home. Among the donors was insurance tycoon Shenglin Xian, the founder of Wealth One Bank of Canada, and several Chinese billionaires.


I wonder how many of these dinners and hand shaking parties happen completely under the radar?


Oh well. I'm sure it's for the good of Canada, othewise they wouldn't do it.

[Okotokian]

I went to a couple of pricey Reform dinners when my boss was picking up the tab for a table years ago. Not sure you get that much "access" for the price of a table. They mainly just want to contribute to a win and be remembered.

parties should only be able to get money one way. Direct contributions to the party that are regulated by spending limits. Go out and get a thousand donations of $10, not one donation of $10,000.

[From The Hip]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

I went to a couple of pricey Reform dinners when my boss was picking up the tab for a table years ago. Not sure you get that much "access" for the price of a table. They mainly just want to contribute to a win and be remembered.

parties should only be able to get money one way. Direct contributions to the party that are regulated by spending limits. Go out and get a thousand donations of $10, not one donation of $10,000.

I agree but your limits are not spot on for the low end of things.The Conservatives are on the same page.....the Lieberals like the payola though...as for the NDP they like to use taxpayer money to solicit donations and then call it a "kangaroo court"(per Angry Tom) when they get busted for it.

What sickens me is a voter subsidy paid for by tax payers based on the "popular vote" meaning that each party gets a set amount based on the percentage of votes they get.The Conservative party did enact legislation to do away with this and of course the Lieberals/NDP/Greens were screaming over it.I thought it was damn good legislation myself as I dont think tax payer money should be paid to ANY party to add to their war chests for the hustings.

As Ruga pointed out though and I did see the same info the Lieberals sure love to have folks PAY large dollars for time with the top party brass.

FTH

[Bitumen Bullet]

The ROI is amazing. A few thousand or million can result in changes to trade and business regulations and laws effecting the movement of billions, even hundreds of billions.

And it is a system that protects the wealthy from the intent of democracy.

[CaberTosser]

On a somewhat related note, I read yesterday that Trump will soon be making it illegal for retired US government staff to lobby on behalf of foreign governments. He'll also be instituting a 5 year cooling off period for them before they can lobby the US gov't for domestic companies.

As for the Chinese pay-for-access dinner, I'd be more surprised if Trudy wasn't doing them.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

On a somewhat related note, I read yesterday that Trump will soon be making it illegal for retired US government staff to lobby on behalf of foreign governments. He'll also be instituting a 5 year cooling off period for them before they can lobby the US gov't for domestic companies.

.

And yet, he feels he can still run his businesses while he's President, have his children meet with Foreign Leaders and run his companies. The President is apparently somehow exempt from conflict of interest laws that other government officials in the US have to follow, so Trump has declared he can't be in conflict of interests no matter what he chooses to do.

I can see it now. He meets with the Premier of China, and then says "Alright, enough about trade policy and currency. Now about that Trump casino I want to open ins Shanghai..." LOL He should be following the SPIRIT of the laws he wants to impose on others.

[Bitumen Bullet]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

And yet, he feels he can still run his businesses while he's President, ......

I agree, he should put his businesses into blind trusts and set up a foundation. That will ensure he can in no way profit from being President....or maybe not.

[rugatika]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

And yet, he feels he can still run his businesses while he's President, have his children meet with Foreign Leaders and run his companies. The President is apparently somehow exempt from conflict of interest laws that other government officials in the US have to follow, so Trump has declared he can't be in conflict of interests no matter what he chooses to do.

I can see it now. He meets with the Premier of China, and then says "Alright, enough about trade policy and currency. Now about that Trump casino I want to open ins Shanghai..." LOL He should be following the SPIRIT of the laws he wants to impose on others.

The problem with putting his stuff into a blind trust is that it's pretty much impossible. He would need to sell off all his property and have someone manage those assets without any input from Trump. It's hardly fair to ask him to sell his properties. Even then, if the Saudi's buy Trump Tower for example, are they buying it as a business deal, or to get future favour. Etc etc.

Best thing he could do is have his kids manage the business and have them stay out of the government game. (not getting them security clearances etc). Or pull his kids out of it completely and have his current team of executives continue running all his businesses.

Either way, I'm pretty sure anything untoward he does will be well covered ad nauseum by the media hacks. Which is more than anyone can say would have happened if the other one had been elected.