Last week, I wrote about $105,793.80 in donations which the Liberal Party had received in donations targeted on behalf of former leadership contestants which, for whatever reason, were not transferred to the individual in question. Today, I decided to look into who exactly was missing the most money, and it was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Michael Ignatieff.
According to the relevant Elections Canada database, Ignatieff's campaign received 508 transferred donations in the amount of $190,011.50; however the Liberal Party also collected another 124 donations totaling $96,223 which were not directed on to him. That works out to over 33% of the money collected on his behalf not be transferred to him. His missing funds account for over 90% of the untransferred funds.
In contrast, Dion was only missing less than 3% of the money owed to him. Gerrard Kennedy and Hedy Fry were each missing less than 2% and Ken Dryden was missing less than 1%.
Is this any indication of a bias within the Liberal Party against Michael Ignatieff and his former leadership campaign? Why has such a disproportionate number of his donations not been passed on while other former candidates received their full amount of close to it?
Perhaps for another possible instance of anti-Ignatieff bias in these numbers concerns the donations made by Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff (recently in the news for admitting that Dion's Carbon tax was designed to "transfer wealth from the oil patch to the rest of the country"). On June 16 and June 20, he donated money to Dion, Scott Brison, Martha Hall Findlay, Dryden, Ignatieff, and Kennedy. Of the 6 donations, 5 were transferred in full to the campaigns, but not a penny was transferred on to Ignatieff's campaign.
Why is the Liberal Party not sending over a third of the money they collected on his behalf? Does anyone have any theories??
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7 comments:
Back then, Ignatief was a star. In its wisdom 'the Party' relieved the star of his earnings - because he had the best chance of raising more $$$. They were right - he's done better than most in debt redemption - because he IS a star and people pay to sup with him and listen.
But with The Rae Power Corp now back in parliament - there's a bigger star in the wings. And money is NO OBSTACLE for Him.
It is about time. The Rae Power Corp has gone 2 years without having the Prime Minister as a close friend (wink, wink). This is the first time in 40 years that the Power Corp. hasn't had a good friend as Prime Minister and this won't do.
I am wondering if Rae has had any money held back or is this a way for some in the party to give him a 'head start' over Iggy in the upcoming leadership race.
By my calculation if Iggy had gotten all of the money designated to him he would be debt free now too.
Some hanky panky going on there.
The Power Corp theory is probably the closest to reality.
Other facts: Iggy is the most right wing of the Lib candidates and would run the country the closest to the Harper Gov which is centrist like the true Liberal Governments of the past.
Referring back to Power Corp. I don't think big business is in favour of being taxed like Layton's left wing NDP for social distribution.
So even if Bob Rae's past is lefty, he would be "controlled" by the owners to take a more centrist stance BUT still provide gravy. Not Ignatieff.
But "Power Corp. family" Liberals have a huge dillema:
- Harper solidly occupies the centre (Although portrayed by opposition and medias as right wing) where most Canadians feel comfy.
- Of all the Liberal candidates, Iggy had and still has the greatest chance to acheive power IF he still carries a centrist approach.
But how do you dislodge a centrist government doing a good job with another offering centrist alternatives?
The Libs strategy of late to use left wing ideology has taken them nowhere and in fact making them loose ground...
...And some Conservatives (Including myself sometimes) complain Harper is not right wing enough.
There's a good reason: Being and staying in power but continue slowly to introduce Conservative ideology weaning off Canadian dependency of the state and getting the socialist blood sucker interest groups out of the tax trough.
Reasons money not transferred to Michael Ignatieff;
1. Mr Ignatieff was a Paul Martin hand picked choice not a Dion supporter.
2. Michael Ignatieff is too right wing for the Liberal Party. In other words he might follow more of ideologies of the CPC and Stephen Harper.E.G. his support for the Iraq war when he was in the states.
The more likely reason is that the Party sends the proceeds fairly quickly but holds back about 25% for expenses calculations when the fundraising activity is related to events as opposed to individual donations which are transferred in full (less admin fees). It then transfers the remaining 25% at a later date. Ignatieff's fundraising activity has been heavily centred on events.
In today's Globe & Mail, Jane Taber notes that Dion's debt, which was $690,000 on June 3rd, has miraculously now been reduced to $250,000. Even more miraculous, it will all be gone by fall. Wow, who knew the Liberals were so good at fundraising. Or in this case maybe fund re-directing.
Dion cannot go into an election with a massive debt outstanding, and the Liberals cannot get rid of him without an election. Perhaps there is a little quid pro quo going here.
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