Monday, April 29, 2013

Miners fuel Yukon Party machine

The mining industry continues to be one of the biggest financial backers of the territory’s governing party, the 2012 Yukon political contributions report shows.
Nearly half of the $30,605 donated to the Yukon Party last year came from Vancouver-based Stratagold. It's involved with Victoria Gold's heap leach gold project east of Mayo.
It gave the Yukon Party $15,000. The rest came from 94 other donors, mostly individuals.
But the 2012 donations pale in comparison to the industry’s support for the Yukon Party in 2011, the year it had to face the electorate.
Mining and exploration companies, all headquartered in B.C. and Ontario, threw in thousands of dollars to help Premier Darrell Pasloski hang on to power. Nearly half of the party’s $153,000 in donations came from that industry.
Keno Hill area miner Alexco Resources and the Predator Mining Group, which was going to fire up the Brewery Creek heap leach gold project but has since closed its Yukon offices, were the two largest contributors. They gave $7,500 and $10,000 respectively.
Tintina Mines, Smash Minerals, Silver Quest Resources, Ketza River Holdings and Northern Freegold each gave the Yukon Party $5,000 to help with election expenses. PowerOne Capital Markets pitched in $2,500 and Inform Resources gave $2,000. Stina Resources and Pacific Ridge Exploration threw in $1,000 each.
Another $10,000 was donated by businesses serving the mining industry, such as aviation and drilling companies.
In 2010, three companies gave to the Yukon Party: Wolverine Mine owner Yukon Zinc donated $3,000, Alexco Resources $2,000 and explorer Eagle Plains Resources $1,000.
Only donors who give more than $250 are named in the annual reports prepared by Elections Yukon.
In 2012, 183 donors gave the NDP $33,831, slightly more than the Yukon Party. The Liberals collected $11,885 from 78 contributors and the Green Party received $1,305 from six people.
Click here to read the 2010, 2011 and 2012 political donation reports.
Click here to read a 2009 analysis of the political influences on the Peel planning process.

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