A taxpayers’ advocacy group is calling on B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food Lana Popham to explain a $3,600 taxpayer-funded dinner she hosted for 20 guests at a Victoria restaurant last spring.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation through a freedom of information request show that, in her former role as minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, Popham hosted a group of “film reps from L.A.” at Victoria’s Wind Cries Mary in April 2024.
“Normal families are looking for savings while Popham is popping champagne with Hollywood bigwigs,” said Carson Binda from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
According to the receipt, the dinner included several bottles of wine and glasses of sparkling wine totalling more than $1,000, 20 tasting menus costing over $1,700, and a service charge of $611.
The document explained the meeting was meant to “reiterate… B.C.'s commitment to a robust film sector and discuss new and ongoing business opportunities.”
In a written statement to Saanich News, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport said the dinner provided an opportunity to discuss the “evolving production landscape, characterized by tighter budgets, shifting consumer habits and growing competition,” with Hollywood’s biggest names.
“The dinner was attended by major film studios including Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros. and NBC Universal,” the statement read. “This dinner cost less money than the planned trade mission would have.”
However, the names of film executives and other attendees were withheld from the information provided in response to the freedom of information request.
Binda argued the public deserves more transparency.
“Taxpayers have every right to know who we are spending $3,600 wining and dining,” he said.
This news is especially relevant at a time when the province is “deep in the red,” according to Binda.
“We don't have a whole ton of money going around. For the government to be blowing money on 19 glasses of champagne, three bottles of Syrah, four bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon, two bottles of Pinot Gris, it makes you shake your head wondering how serious they are about saving taxpayers' money.”
In his years of advocacy investigating government spending, Binda said it was “unusual for politicians to be expending so much liquor at one dinner.”
He concluded that the onus is now on Popham to prove to the province’s taxpayers the true worth of this dinner.
“It's on Minister Popham to prove to taxpayers that this was a good bang for our buck [and] what tangible results they got from this dinner,” said Binda. “If this was a good return on investment for taxpayers, Popham needs to prove that [and] show us exactly what investment this brought in.”
While B.C. is one of the largest motion picture hubs in Canada and North America, the ministry emphasized the importance of investing in a sector that employs more than 70,000 people across the province, including gig workers.
