Brian Gallant will disclose leadership donor list

The list of donors who gave money to Brian Gallant’s successful leadership campaign last fall will be disclosed, according to the party.

The New Brunswick Liberal Association's board of directors voted over the weekend to disclose the list of financial contributors to Gallant's leadership campaign.

The list is expected to be released this week.

Gallant spoke in favour of the donor disclosure during the meeting, but he was not present when the vote was taken, according to a statement issued by the party.

Only one member was against the decision on Sunday.

There is no legal order to disclose the list of donations to a leadership campaign. The party set out in its leadership campaign rules that the board may disclose the donor list if it was requested.

The Liberals received three requests to release that information.

Gallant said the Liberals plan to recommend adding the requirement for disclosure of campaign contributors in leadership contests to Elections New Brunswick legislation.

In 2005, the Commission on Legislative Democracy recommended leadership campaign expenses be capped at $300,000 and donors could not contribute more than $3,000 in total to one or more leadership contestants.

The commission recommended the disclosure be required for all leadership contestants who accepted contributions or had expenses of more than $1,000.

The commission's recommendations were never implemented.

Gallant defeated Moncton lawyer Michael Murphy and Belledune farmer Nick Duivenvoorden at the party's leadership convention in October.