Straight Talk

Former Dragons' Den investor suggests paying a couple of B.C. NDP caucus members to cross the floor

by Charlie Smith on May 19th, 2018 at 10:18 PM
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      A Calgary businessman and part-owner of the Nashville Predators has an unusual idea for bringing down B.C.'s NDP minority government.

      W. Brett Wilson stated on Twitter that he's "thinking we should just pay a couple of folks from #PremierHorgan @NDP teamto cross the floor & give power back to the people of #BritishColumbia".

      "I am in for $10,000," Wilson wrote. "Should almost be enough eh? DM me to arrange."

      Wilson is a former investor on the CBC Dragons Den program and has written for Oilweek and the National Post.

      In his tweet, the Order of Canada recipient and cancer survivor also stated that it was a "fact" that "eco-terrorists pay and get paid to protest".

      In the last Conservative leadership contest, Wilson supported former Dragons' Den panellist Kevin O'Leary.

      Wilson accepts that the climate is changing, but questions the scientific consensus that human activities are the sole or major cause of this.

      Wilson is also a member of the Order of Canada advisory council, which vets the 600 to 800 annual nominations with Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette.

      Under section 119 (1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada, any member of the legislature is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a prison term of up to 14 years if they corruptly accept, obtain, agree to accept, or attempt to obtain money in connection with anything they do in their official capacity.

      Under section 119(1)(b) of the Criminal Code, there are similar penalties for anyone who "gives or offers" any money in return for anything done by a provincial legislator.

      There's no evidence whatsoever that Wilson has given any money to any B.C. NDP MLA to cross the floor, strongly suggesting that this law has not been violated by his tweet.

      Section 464 of the Criminal Code is called "counselling offence that is not committed". Anyone who does this is guilty of an indictable offence even if the offence is not committed.

      Under the Member's Conflict of Interest Act, MLAs are prohibited from accepting a "fee, gift or personal benefit, except compensation authorized by law, that is connected directly or indirectly with the performance of his or her duties of office".

      This section does not apply to gifts or personal benefits in connection with protocol or social obligations that come with being a member of the legislature. If such a gift exceeds $250 in value, it must be disclosed in writing to the conflict commissioner.

      Penalties under the act range from a reprimand to the loss of an MLA's seat, depending on how the legislative assembly responds to the commissioner's recommendation.

      Update:

      Several hours after this article appeared on Straight.com, Wilson put out a tweet leaving an impression that his original tweet was a joke.

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