Why are municipally funded groups across Alberta using city tax dollars to donate to the federal Liberal party?
Edmonton city councillor Mike Nickel feels betrayed. Every year city councillors try to stretch Edmonton’s budget as far as it will go, struggling to pay for municipal services and infrastructure while still trying to put a bit aside for the arts and culture scene. Now it turns out that a good portion of those precious tax dollars have been taken by local culture and tourism groups and sent to Ottawa to line the pockets of the federal Liberal party. “It’s absolutely shocking,” says Nickel. “The Edmonton Space and Science Centre came to us pleading poverty and now I learn they donated $4,800 to the Liberals between 1999 and 2000.” What’s worse, says Nickel, is the Science Centre seems to be making the contributions out for reasons of political sympathy, since they gave not a nickel to the Conservatives or NDP. “At least they could be nonpartisan,” he fumes. They’re not the only municipally funded organization that has been using city tax funds to help the federal Liberal party. Nickel i
