OTTAWA - The federal Liberals and Conservatives are showing off their muscular election fundraising efforts, with each flexing their gains from the third quarter.
The Liberals say more than 57,100 contributors coughed up $7.65 million in the three months between July and September. The party says both numbers mark a record for the Liberals.
The Tories say the $9.84 million they garnered from nearly 50,200 contributors last quarter also marked a fundraising record, excluding quarters close to an election date. August alone saw the party raise $5.1 million, a record month.
The federal election campaign kicked off Aug. 15 and wrapped up on Sept. 20 — election day — and saw all major parties ramp up fundraising efforts as they sought to win over Canadians and boost revenue for ads and outreach.
Liberal national director Azam Ishmael stressed that the party's median donation was $20 at a time, suggesting stronger grassroots support.
"Annual returns show that the Conservatives spent $40.6 million on fundraising costs from 2016 through 2020, while the Liberal party’s figure was just $15 million," the party said in a statement Friday, claiming that red-team supporters "are getting far more value for their donations."
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said in a statement minutes earlier: “This fundraising will allow us to do the work necessary to hold the Liberals to account for their failed economic policies, and to get ready for the next election, which Mr. Trudeau has said could come as early as 18 months from now."
The Bloc Québécois, the only party whose contributions had been posted by Elections Canada as of Friday afternoon, raised $1.23 million in the third quarter of this year, about four times more than the previous three months.
The Liberals raised $7.28 million in the third quarter of 2019 ahead of that year's election and $3.11 million in the same period last year.
The Conservatives garnered $10.14 million in the third quarter of 2019, and $5.66 million a year later.
