Close X
Friday, November 8, 2024
ADVT 
National

Campaign fundraising error less than $10K: Greens

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 01 Oct, 2020 09:56 PM
  • Campaign fundraising error less than $10K: Greens

The Green Party of Canada says the amount of money accidentally deposited with the party rather than Glen Murray's leadership campaign adds up to less than $10,000.

Murray says he is not yet convinced the damage stops there but credits the party with doing what it can to fix the problem.

He says the damage to his campaign has been done, preventing his team from doing some planned work because it didn't think it had the money.

The party says in a statement today it has forwarded $9,630 from 35 donors to Murray's campaign, and added under 10 people to the membership list whose memberships weren't properly approved.

The party says the donations were "incorrectly processed" but the situation has now been rectified.

Murray says media coverage of the problem has led to many phone calls from supporters who say they are concerned their donation didn't go through, or didn't get a ballot to vote in the leadership race.

He says his campaign team is focused on getting their vote out right now. Digital voting started last weekend and runs through Saturday, when the winner will be announced at an event in Ottawa.

Murray's campaign team will meet Sunday to figure out what else has to be done.

"I'm not sure at this point we'll ever get a final number," he said Thursday in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Murray said the party reported publicly on fundraising efforts by the candidates but since his numbers were incorrect, it "misrepresented" the strength of his campaign.

According to the most recently released public figures, Murray had raised $62,550 as of Aug. 31, from 353 donors.

That left him in fourth place for money raised and in sixth place for the number of donors, out of the eight candidates in the race.

Toronto activist and lawyer Annamie Paul led both counts, with $186,326 raised from 1,622 donors.

If the problem was limited to $9,630 and 35 donors, neither of Murray's placements on those lists would have changed.

Murray said he is disappointed this happened, and knows it could affect the outcome of the race but he said "the party is really going out of its way" to try to fix it.

This is the first Green leadership contest in 14 years. Former leader Elizabeth May stepped down almost a year ago, but stayed on as an MP and the parliamentary leader in the House of Commons.

None of the eight contestants running to succeed her are currently MPs. Paul is running in the current byelection in Toronto Centre, where she was also a candidate in the 2019 election.

MORE National ARTICLES

Metro Vancouver carbon neutral, goal of regional achievement still 30 years away

Metro Vancouver carbon neutral, goal of regional achievement still 30 years away
The regional district of Metro Vancouver says it has achieved corporate carbon neutrality, balancing its carbon output with its removal from the atmosphere.

Metro Vancouver carbon neutral, goal of regional achievement still 30 years away

Hootsuite names new CEO to replace founder

Hootsuite names new CEO to replace founder
Hootsuite has named a new CEO to replace founder Ryan Holmes after his 12 years at the helm of the Vancouver-based tech company.

Hootsuite names new CEO to replace founder

B.C. to provide loans for switch to heat pumps

B.C. to provide loans for switch to heat pumps
The five-year loans are for conversions to energy-efficient heat pumps that the government says reduce pollution and help save on energy costs.

B.C. to provide loans for switch to heat pumps

RCMP reviews case involving police chief's wife

RCMP reviews case involving police chief's wife
The deputy police chief in Delta, B.C., says the department's handling of an assault complaint filed against the wife of Chief Neil Dubord is being reviewed by the RCMP.

RCMP reviews case involving police chief's wife

B.C. introduces temporary outdoor job program for youth up to age 29

B.C. introduces temporary outdoor job program for youth up to age 29
The British Columbia government has introduced a program aimed at creating work for 15-to-29-year-old youth in community service while their job prospects are dramatically affected by COVID-19.

B.C. introduces temporary outdoor job program for youth up to age 29

New models show COVID-19 progress: Trudeau

New models show COVID-19 progress: Trudeau
The figures released by the Public Health Agency of Canada Monday show that some areas have been more heavily impacted by COVID-19 than others, specifically Quebec and Ontario.

New models show COVID-19 progress: Trudeau