712,122 reasons B.C. Liberal Leader Wilkinson opposes inquiry into gas price gouging

THE NDP said on Tuesday that when Premier John Horgan challenged big gas companies for gouging British Columbians last spring, BC Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson leaped to defend the companies:

Andrew Wilkinson

“Now [John Horgan]’s making up these demons that they like to invent in the NDP. Some bad guys are causing this.” (CKNW, April 25, 2019)

These companies subsequently refused to disclose their profit margins to the BCUC inquiry into prices.

The BCUC found the companies can’t explain a 13-cent difference between prices in BC and those in other parts of the country, meaning that British Columbians pay $490 million more each year than they should.

So why did Wilkinson side with big oil companies? He has at least 712,122 reasons, said the NDP.

That’s the amount of money Wilkinson’s BC Liberals received between 2005 and 2017 from oil companies who intervened in the BCUC inquiry:

·         Suncor $48,189

·         Chevron $180,443

·         Imperial Oil $134,790

·         Super Save $348,700

Total: $712,122

And while Wilkinson has fought pricing transparency every step of the way, he’s also been pushing a plan that UBC Professor Werner Antweiler says “would boost the profits of the oil companies and it would do absolutely nothing for consumers.” (CBC, April 26, 2019)

Jobs and Trade Minister Bruce Ralston said: “Andrew Wilkinson continues to pick big oil and big donors ahead of the British Columbians who are victims of their price gouging. He’s putting the profits of huge corporations first and making everyone else pay the price.”