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VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s premier says she is no longer receiving an annual stipend from her political party because the payment has become a distraction.

Christy Clark told media at an unrelated event Friday that she has asked the B.C. Liberal Party to reimburse her for individual expenses instead of giving her the lump-sum payment.

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“I think it’s a better way to do it,” she said.

The Liberals confirmed last spring that Clark is paid up to $50,000 per year for party work on top of her $195,000 salary.

Clark said different parties do things differently and she has decided her party should move to a new system, partially because it had become a distraction.

The stipend formed part of two conflict of interest complaints filed against Clark last year by an opposition member of the legislature and a citizen advocacy group.

The complaints also alleged the premier was in a conflict of interest because she attends exclusive fundraising events where tickets are sold for thousands of dollars.