RE: BC Legislature Raids

A graduate student in UVic’s school of public administration received similar party solicitations without signing up for the party. He doesn’t want to be named because he plans to find a job with the federal government once he finishes classes. “I went to New York with a bunch of Martinites and they wanted me to attend a Liberal function at the Empress when we got back,” he said. “There was promise of drink and such. I never actually went, but a month later I was a member. I never paid and I never signed anything.” Both men were approached by Ivan Watson, former president of the UVic Young Liberals and former legislative assistant to Victoria-Hillside MLA Sheila Orr, regarding memberships, and they feel he was responsible for signing them up. Mike Witherly, Chief of Staff with the B.C. chapter of the federal Liberals, said membership irregularities were inevitable due to the huge growth the party underwent leading up to November’s federal Liberal convention where Paul Martin was declared leader. “We had to process 20,000 applications in two weeks. There’s going to be errors and we are doing our best to fix them.” Witherly said that applicants must sign an application form and send in a fee of $10. “The party only sends out a membership card when we receive a signed form and a fee.” That leaves open the question of how signatures belonging to those not interested in becoming members appeared on application forms. Witherly chalked all errors up to the huge growth generated by the Martin leadership campaign. Liberal party memberships in B.C. grew from 4,000 to 37,000 in the 18 months leading up to the November federal Liberal convention. Allegations have swirled about membership irregularities since raids on the legislature late last year implicated a number of federal party fundraisers. [comment: remember the 2 Watergate Rules: 1. No matter how paranoid or conspiracy-minded you are, what the government is actually doing is worse than you imagine. 2. Don't believe anything until it has been officially denied]