Steve Rae, Nanaimo school board chairman, had some star power support during his 2014 municipal election campaign.
Amongst the donors listed on Rae’s campaign financing disclosure statements, released Monday, were former Vancouver Canuck Brendan Morrison and B.C. Lions’ quarterback Travis Lulay, who donated $1,000 and $500 respectively.
Rae knows both through his job with fishing equipment company Navico. He has known Morrison for 15 years and both athletes are avid fishermen.
“Travis donated a signed jersey and Brendan donated $1,000 to me, which was great,” Rae said.
Donations from Cedar Village Holdings, Proctor Petroleum and Coast Canada Construction to numerous school trustee candidates in November’s election were also amongst notable items listed in the statements.
Rae, Scott Kimler and Stephanie Higginson, three of the four top vote-getters, received $250 each from developer Cedar Village Holdings and $500 each from Proctor Petroleum.
Rae said he was introduced to Cedar Holdings’ Bill Beadle by Alec McPherson, Regional District of Nanaimo Area A director, and Wayne Proctor, of Proctor Petroleum, is a friend who owns Gas n Go stations across Vancouver Island.
Proctor resides in Cedar, like Rae, and is a sponsor for a fishing derby fundraiser Morrison holds in Tofino, which Rae is also involved with.
Trustee Bill Robinson and former trustees Dot Neary and Sharon Welch were amongst those receiving contributions from Coast Canada Construction. Neary listed a $200 contribution while Welch and Robinson each listed $500.
“[Coast Canada Construction] know Dave Francis, who’s a friend of mine, and they agreed with Dave that I was a worthy candidate,” said Robinson.
Candidate Nelson Allen had the highest total expenditures, with $4,446, while TerryLynn Saunders’ only expense was a $26 fee for the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce’s all-candidates forum at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre.