VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – An overwhelming majority of BC voters feels corporations and unions have too big of an influence on government policy, according to a new poll.

Research from Insights West finds most would favour taking “big money” out of politics.

In fact, 86 per cent of those asked in the poll, sponsored by the Dogwood Initiative, would support a ban on corporate and union donations.

Mario Canseco with Insights West says many voters have become cynical about the political process.

“There’s a lot of people who believe that there’s quid pro quo, this notion of specific companies donating money to a political party that then is in government and then they get some of those contracts and they get some help along the way.”

Canseco notes support for a ban on such donations extends right across party lines.

“We see that even those who voted for the BC Liberals in the 2013 election would like to see some changes and this spans across the entire political spectrum: people who vote for the Greens, for the Conservatives, for the Liberals or the NDP would like to see this happen.”

Only 10 per cent of respondents agree that corporations and unions should be allowed to spend as much as they want on political campaigns.