N.L. PCs began election year with 17 times less cash than Liberals

Patrick Butler · Radio-Canada

· Posted: Apr 11, 2025 4:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

New fiscal statements amusement Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberal Party ended 2024 with astir 17 times much wealth successful the slope than the Progressive Conservatives, with a looming provincial predetermination slated to beryllium called betwixt present and Oct. 14.

Party yearly returns posted online Tuesday by Elections Newfoundland and Labrador amusement that the Progressive Conservative Party had conscionable $30,000 currency connected Dec. 31. 

The Liberal Party had much than $500,000.

The Liberals, whose outgoing person Andrew Furey volition beryllium replaced adjacent month, besides fundraised astir six times much than the PCs successful 2024.

The Liberals, with a bulk of 22 MHAs successful the House of Assembly, raised astir $1 million. The PCs, with 14 MHAs, brought successful astir $150,000.

"Those numbers don't fuss me. I deliberation what you spot is radical going to the authorities party, that happens successful each cycles," said PC Leader Tony Wakeham. 

"I'm not worried.… I deliberation the wealth volition beryllium there, you know, radical are reaching retired to us, but much importantly, for me, it's making definite that I've got prime candidates and we person prime candidates close present that person signed up to say, 'Yes, I privation to correspond the PC Party successful the House of Assembly.' "

'Unfair advantage' for Liberals, says NDP

The NDP's fiscal statements amusement that the enactment had astir $100,000 currency successful the slope connected Dec. 31, 3 times much than the PCs. 

The NDP, who clasp 2 seats successful the legislature, raised astir $100,000 successful governmental contributions past year.

NDP Leader Jim Dinn says the yearly returns exemplify an "unfair advantage" benefiting the Liberals successful the adjacent election, which indispensable instrumentality spot by Oct.14.

"It surely gives a enactment that is capable to get that benignant of backing an unfair vantage successful presumption of who they tin hire, portion different parties beryllium connected volunteers," said Dinn. "Which is wherefore I deliberation we request to look astatine immoderate benignant of a per-voter subsidy, due to the fact that each enactment is owned by each citizen."

Other provinces, similar Quebec and Ontario, springiness publicly-funded subsidies to governmental parties based connected the votes formed successful the past election. 

The premier's bureau did not respond to an interrogation request.

In a statement, the Liberal Party, which volition big a enactment normal connected May 3, said it "values its supporters," and that "we look guardant to continuing our robust fundraising efforts to hole for the adjacent wide election."

Wakeham won leadership but mislaid fundraising battle

The PC Party besides precocious disclosed governmental contributions received by its enactment contention successful 2023. 

While Wakeham won the enactment contest, helium didn't person the astir donations. 

According to the 3 candidates' financial statements, runner-up Eugene Manning raised astir 51 per cent much than Wakeham. Manning raked successful $135,736 successful contributions, portion Wakeham received $89,907.

Third-place finisher Lloyd Parrott reported $69,718 successful donations.

The numbers person ne'er been reported before, but were provided to Radio-Canada by enactment president Shane Skinner past month.

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