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Teck, CN among Liberal donors who gave to NDP in 2013

While the Liberals enjoyed donations from their usual sources, in the lead up to the 2013 provincial election money also flowed from traditionally Liberal donors to NDP coffers.

According to BC Elections data released yesterday, Liberal party faithful doled out the donations on their own or through their companies. They include Michael Audain ($59,750), Peter Brown ($50,000), Bob Rennie ($22,000), Peter Armstrong ($19,000), Ken Dobell ($4,550) and Frank Giustra ($4,000).

The Liberals cashed cheques from Teck Highland Valley Copper ($100,000) and Teck Resources Ltd. ($122,400), but Teck Resources also gave $62,500 to the NDP, of which $5,000 was for Kootenay-East candidate Norma Blissett.

Telus donated $8,550 -- of which $4,900 went to the Liberals and the remainder to the NDP. Unlike the Liberal donations, the names attached to the NDP donations were chief executive Darren Entwistle and chief financial officer Robert McFarlane.

Pace Group is the B.C. Pavilion Corporation public relations contractor that ran Kevin Falcon's leadership campaign in 2011. It donated $7,275 total: $5,250 to the Liberals, $500 to Surrey-Cloverdale Liberal Stephanie Cadieux and $1,525 to the NDP.

Companies connected to the Bosa development and construction family donated $213,800, of which $24,000 went to the NDP.

Adrian Dix's last Metro Vancouver tour stop was at the David McLean-owned Vancouver Film Studios. McLean was one of Gordon Campbell's staunchest backers and remains loyal to Christy Clark, but $19,500 went to the NDP from Vancouver Film Studios and Pacific Backlot Services. McLean is also chair of CN.

Though the NDP promised an inquiry into CN's controversial 2003 acquisition of BC Rail, McLean donated $21,000 from CN to the NDP.

Jim Pattison's Great Pacific Capital Corp. donated $5,000 to the Liberals, but two of his other companies gave the NDP $15,500. Glen Clark, former NDP premier is president of the Jim Pattison Group.

Companies connected to Vancouver Canucks' owner Francesco Aquilini gave the NDP $15,000 in late January, but $11,760 to the Liberals in March.

Vancouver journalist Bob Mackin is a frequent Tyee contributor.

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