Big cheques to Liberals means bad news for Boreal

An investigation released today by Greenpeace revealed that Jean Charest's Liberals were the big winners in political donations from senior executives connected to member companies of the Conseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec (CIFQ). In 2005, the Liberals received 70 per cent of all donations from people connected to the 103 members of the CIFQ; in 2004 it was 88 per cent.

"It's clear that Premier Charest and CIFQ spokesperson Guy Chevrette are thinking more about forest companies than they are the health of the Boreal forest," said Mélissa Filion, forest campaigner with Greenpeace. "But the Boreal belongs to all Quebecers, not those writing big cheques.  This ancient forest isn't for sale."

Executives and board members of CIFQ member companies donated at least $44,215 to the Liberals in 2005 compared with at least $16,375 to the Parti Québécois and $3,000 to l'Action Démocratique du Québec.  In 2004, $31,130 was donated to the Liberals, $4,020 to the PQ and less than $220 to the ADQ.  Executives with forest industry connections were also much more likely to donate to the Liberal Party than the general population.

"In the end, whether Liberal or Péquiste, Quebec governments manage the forest in the interests of industry.  How else to explain the delays in creating new protected areas? Why are intact forest areas still being fragmented?  Why are we losing woodland caribou habitat at a great rate? These excessive financial ties are part of the reason," said Filion.  

Donations from people linked to the CIFQ made up almost one per cent of all contributions to the Liberal Party in 2005. "With less than four per cent of the Boreal forest protected, and most of this in small parks, Quebec is a laggard in forest conservation. Liberals are not managing the forest in an independant conservation-based fashion," concluded Filion.

Using the Registraire des entreprises du Québec, Greenpeace obtained names and addresses of executives and board members of member companies. A team of researchers with Greenpeace compared these to political donation reports compiled by the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec for 2001 to 2005. Only those with matching addresses to listings in the electoral reports were considered.