B.C. charities can thank public employees (and, ultimately, taxpayers)

Office philanthropy takes many forms. From the ad hoc passing of a hat to an all-out, team effort to raise funds around an event.

It turns out, the province's public employees have a formal conduit for their efforts. It's called the Provincial Employees Community Services Fund. The 1965-founded, registered charitable foundation is little-known outside government circles. It campaigns from September to December and is chaired by Lynda Tarras, who heads the Public Service Agency.

Through Freedom of Information, I received the financial statements for 2010 to 2012. 

In 2010, it raised $2.039 million for charities from authorized payroll deductions and cash contributions. A year later, $1.9 million. In 2012, it raised $1.839 million.

It’s a small sum compared to the province’s roughly $44 billion budget and is almost as much as the $1,582,126 pay packet of the highest-paid public employee, B.C. Investment Management Corporation CEO Doug Pearce.

There are large donations to some of the big, well-known charities, such as BC SPCA ($53,492.59), Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. and Yukon ($39,759.94), and Canadian Cancer Society ($22,832.59).

There is a veritable grab-bag of charities benefitting from public dollars, including: David Suzuki Foundation ($2,890.62), Vancouver College Ltd. ($75), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada ($469), Helping Homeless Cats Society ($1,420.10), Canadian Luge Association ($279.80), and Dominion of Canada Rifle Association ($156). 

I was encouraged to see $183.82 given to Transparency International Canada Inc. As they say, it’s the thought that counts. 

The annual financial report and full list of donations is below.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all. 

Provincial Employees Fund FOI

No records no longer a surprise

I hate to tell you a "dog bites man" story, but this one is too important to ignore.

On Nov. 18, 2012, The Province's Cassidy Olivier revealed how workers in the Office of Premier Christy Clark and the BC Liberal caucus worked on government time, for the public dime to devise attack advertising against NDP leader Adrian Dix. Specifically, the CantAffordDix.ca website (which redirects to RiskyDix.ca, which doesn't appear to be online anymore).

The government's own Standards of Conduct are clear: "employees must not engage in political activities during working hours or use government facilities, equipment or resources in support of these activities." 

I asked the Public Service Agency, via Freedom of Information, if the misconduct described in Olivier's story had been investigated. No surprise -- the PSA claims no records exist. See the letter below.

I say no surprise, because this non-response was delivered to me a week after Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham released a report on the disturbing trend toward an "oral government," in which important government information is not recorded. The government, particularly the Office of the Premier, is escaping public scrutiny.

Denham's report was in response to a complaint from the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association of B.C., but focusses on the "no records" claims surrounding the departure of Clark's chief of staff Ken Boessenkool.

Some of the characters in Olivier's story are involved in the Multicultural Outreach Strategy saga, such as Liberal caucus executive director Primrose "You Can't Be Doing Party Work Here. For Sure, I Would Agree With That" Carson.

John Dyble, Clark's deputy minister and chief of the public service, is working on an internal review of the Quick Wins ethnic vote-wooing conspiracy, despite calls from the NDP and Conservatives for an independent investigation. Dyble was hired to his $310,000-a-year gig by Clark and serves at her pleasure.

Here is some essential reading at this link for Mr. Dyble: copies of Pamela Martin and Kim Haakstad's agendas, showing that they discussed the Multicultural Outreach plan during government working hours. 

Public Service Agency: No Records, Again by