No matter which way you look at it, the optics are terrible.

Business person donates $1500 to the Liberals in return for a chance to pitch their cause at the PM and the Liberal party attendees.

Business person is "rewarded" with an invitation to an event that allows them to further connect, see and be seen, and again pitch their cause.

Liberal government months later approves their business proposal, or passes legislation favourable to their cause.   

How can the government now approve Anbang's billion dollar takeover of a chain of BC retirement homes, without the public thinking the fix was in? Rightly or wrongly. How can the government implement a new program for investor immigrant visas - targeted to China, without the public thinking (rightly or wrongly) that they bowed to pressure from a cabal of vested interests and donors?

Terrible optics.