The Challenge

Following the provincial election of 2017, the BC Liberals (now BC United) were out of government for the first time in 16 years — and nearly out of cash. On top of that, the new NDP minority government moved quickly to ban corporate donations — the BC Liberals’ major source of revenue.

Newly appointed as the party’s youngest-ever Executive Director, Emile tackled the urgent challenge of restoring the trust of the party’s grassroots donors and supporters, and putting the BC Liberals on a strong financial footing for an election that could come at any time.

The Work

Working closely with the Party’s board and elected representatives, Emile drove a comprehensive overhaul of the party’s finances and operations with a focus on transparency, accountability, and sustainability.

Just as important, the Party had to communicate these changes to a frustrated supporter base, rebuilding their trust so they would feel good about donating again.

This effort was summed up in the Donor Respect Guarantee — a promise to BC Liberals that their dollars would be soundly invested and treated with respected.

The Outcome

By the first quarter of 2019, the BC Liberals overtook the NDP in fundraising revenue for the first time since the election.

More importantly, Emile’s time at the party created a strong fundraising infrastructure and a new culture of respect for donor contributions.