Not First Time Large Corporate Donor Has Donated

The 2011 election is not the first time 7779 Ventures Inc., the largest single corporate donor in the election, has donated to a political campaign.

7779 Ventures Inc., which is connected to the Chances in Kamloops, has donated $5,500 to seven candidates, four of which were elected to council. $2,500 of that went to Peter Milobar’s successful re-election campaign as mayor. The rest of the money was donated in increments of $500 to six candidates running for council.

In 2008, 7779 Ventures Inc. donated a larger amount – $5,000 – to the Milobar campaign. No other candidates received any donations from them.

7779 Ventures Inc. has also donated to the provincial Liberals. In the 2005 election they donated $5,000 and in 2009 they donated $10,000.

7779 Ventures Inc. was also one of seven companies related to gaming that was mentioned in an article by Sean Holman that had donated to the B.C. Liberals.

Corporate donations are banned on the federal level. Elections Canada’s contributions and expenses database does not have 7779 Ventures Inc. directors Pat and Gary Hart listed as donors to any campaign.