Premier Christy Clark will greet a sold-out audience tonight for the annual fundraising dinner in Prince George.
The northern fundraiser - a black tie and blue jeans affair - comes on the heels of a couple weeks of conversation around political donations and private dinners.
Elsewhere in B.C. Clark has entertained guests in small groups for $10,000 a ticket, but the Prince George event at the Civic Centre has tickets for $90, with the option to buy a table for $900.
However three sponsors can access four seats at Clark's table as a purchasing perk.
The single $25,000 platinum sponsor is handed two tickets at the table while two $15,000 gold sponsors were up for grabs, along with one seat each at the table.
NDP leader John Horgan, too, has faced criticism for sharing a breakfast at $5,000 a plate.
While the optics may not be ideal University of Northern B.C. political science lecturer Jason Morris said there are enough checks and balances that even if some are granted a special access, it shouldn't lead to purchased policy.
"For sure buying access to political parties and their leaders could impact policy choices and could impact policy promises by the other parties, but I have to say it's a huge 'could' because demonstrating that a fancy dinner led to a pipeline approval is pretty simplistic and near impossible to demonstrate," he said.
"Let's not forget that governments are still accountable in so many other ways even if access has been bought," said Morris, listing off finance laws, opposition parties, the media and citizen groups.
Clark has announced her intention to move toward quicker disclosure of donors, from annual to monthly or quarterly. Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne, meanwhile, has cancelled all private fundraisers and promised to legislate bans on corporate and union donations.
For Tracy Calogheros, executive director of The Exploration Place, the event is more about getting the museum access to high flyers in Prince George.
Last year the non-profit purchased a table, which is recorded as a donation under Elections BC guidelines.
"We never spoke to the premier that night," said Calogheros, who was the federal Liberal nominee for Cariboo-Prince George. "For the museum it's about the opportunity for my board to interact with the rest of the business community. What I'm doing in that room is fundraising."
And, listening to the premier speak can give good direction when it comes to writing grants.
"You get the opportunity to really listen to the premier for an extended period of time speaking in the environment that she or he or is able to really give you a sense of where they're headed."
But high-price tickets, private dinners and seats at the premier's table are a different story, she said.
"I don't think there's decisions being made (at that table), but familiarity is one of those reasons people are looking for that proximity... The perceived idea is that folks are spending money that will allow them to have influence. Whether that's true is contingent on the politician in question," said Calogheros, who questioned the need for spending so much during provincial and federal elections.
"Personally I think it's just bad optics at this point."
Calogheros spent $28,419 on her campaign, less than half of what MP Todd Doherty spent and finished with 31.5 per cent of the vote to his 36.6 per cent.
Morris characterized Canadian provincial elections as moderate, especially when compared to the U.S. approach. But still, Canadian campaigns cost money.
"I think that we act all surprised and alarmed when political parties go out to raise money to pay their expenses, but how else should they do it?" said Morris, though public perception can affect election outcomes.
"The sniff of something not being quite right can contribute to a narrative that is damaging to a party."
Local event organizer Judy Jackson deferred questions about the dinner to Today's BC Liberals main office.
"The Prince George Leader's Dinner is a long-standing event for our membership and supporter base in Prince George and surrounding communities for over a decade" said communications manager Jillian Stead by email.
"For the past several years, the event has sold out, which shows that our members in Prince George remain strong and united around free enterprise and the leadership of Premier Christy Clark," said Stead, who didn't respond to questions about the number of tickets sold.
Last year's event, reported on Elections BC, sold more than 634 tickets at $85 each.
That function, also in April, raised $22,618 after all expenses were paid despite grossing more than $170,000 in income. The cost of the function came in at just over $148,000. Stead didn't respond to questions about expected costs of this year's or the main fees for last year's fundraiser.
"As for total funds raised, this information will be publicly disclosed as part of our Financial Report that we submit annually to Elections BC as required by the rules, which (we) take seriously," she wrote.
