Close X
Friday, November 1, 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

Groups seek specific COVID help in throne speech

Groups seek specific COVID help in throne speech
Dan Kelly of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says he's hoping the government focuses its throne speech tomorrow on navigating the pandemic.

Groups seek specific COVID help in throne speech

Last evacuation alerts lifted near B.C. wildfire

Last evacuation alerts lifted near B.C. wildfire
The Regional District of Central Kootenay says it has removed alerts covering 46 properties in the Slocan Valley based on advice from the BC Wildfire Service

Last evacuation alerts lifted near B.C. wildfire

Crowdfund raises more than $150K for Michael Hogan

Crowdfund raises more than $150K for Michael Hogan
Susan Hogan writes in a note that her husband, who played Colonel Saul Tigh in the 2004 sci-fi series, fell and hit his head after attending a "Battlestar Galactica" convention in Vancouver in February.

Crowdfund raises more than $150K for Michael Hogan

Fines levied as men flout B.C.'s COVID-19 rules

Fines levied as men flout B.C.'s COVID-19 rules
A spokesman for the department says officers determined the men were impaired and were also told the three were ignoring restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Fines levied as men flout B.C.'s COVID-19 rules

Man charged in connection with series of residential break-ins

Man charged in connection with series of residential break-ins
Many of the break and enters were noted to have similar earmarks, such as suspect vehicle descriptions, and methods used by the suspect, or suspects.

Man charged in connection with series of residential break-ins

Ontario pediatricians warn of flu shot 'crisis'

Ontario pediatricians warn of flu shot 'crisis'
An online petition by members of the Ontario Medical Association says there's already "unprecedented strong interest amongst parents for the influenza vaccine."

Ontario pediatricians warn of flu shot 'crisis'