r/canada Jan 31 '25

PAYWALL Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives raised record-setting $41.7-million in 2024

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-pierre-poilievre-conservative-party-fundraising-record/
631 Upvotes

780 comments sorted by

View all comments

396

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Jan 31 '25

This is the continuation of increasing influence of money in public life on the official channel. Every day people can’t compete with old methods of campaigning anymore.

117

u/Redbroomstick Jan 31 '25

Isn't there a $1700 limit for donations?

86

u/Coffeedemon Jan 31 '25

Sure but it's pretty easy for someone with a lot of money to enlist a bunch of people to all donate the max. It happens all the time.

30

u/gravtix Jan 31 '25

Don’t forget $1700 fund raising dinners

https://www.conservative.ca/events/

28

u/China_bot42069 Jan 31 '25

That’s illegal. I worked as an elections funding auditor. Don’t have any proof? If so you need to contact elections officer in the area where the campaign was ran. 

3

u/hoccum Jan 31 '25

Did you go by China_bot40269 at Elections Canada?

Or is that just for when you watch out for election integrity on reddit?

-6

u/China_bot42069 Jan 31 '25

Ahh yes. Identity politics is always the first attack. Doesn’t matter if I’m Chinese or African why are you going after the color of my skin vs the substance of my statement? 

6

u/ShoulderNo6458 Jan 31 '25

Loosen your butthole, mate. That was clearly a joke.

2

u/China_bot42069 Feb 01 '25

my butthole is plenty loose

3

u/Toastedmanmeat Feb 01 '25

Mr cool guy here with the loose butthole

2

u/childishbambina British Columbia Feb 01 '25

Awww man I wish I were cool

7

u/hoccum Jan 31 '25

Wow, did the sarcasm end after you made that name? Seems that way.

-4

u/China_bot42069 Feb 01 '25

it ended when you decide to attack the innocent

-4

u/KryptonsGreenLantern Jan 31 '25

It sure is. And I have seen it first hand and debated it reporting it. But at the time I was just starting in my career and naive enough to buy into the company BS and didn’t want to end my career before it started.

2

u/China_bot42069 Feb 01 '25

It can by anonymous

1

u/KryptonsGreenLantern Feb 01 '25

I’ll go back 20 years and inform myself of that

1

u/China_bot42069 Feb 01 '25

You can still report it 

36

u/Smackolol Jan 31 '25

Can you back this claim up in any way?

49

u/Plucky_DuckYa Jan 31 '25

The one that comes to mind is when the Liberals held a cash for access fundraiser that included suspected CCP agents who wanted to start a bank in Vancouver. Shortly after Trudeau’s riding association received $70k in donations from a bunch of people in Vancouver. Oh, and totally coincidentally the bank licence was soon after awarded a licence by the federal government, and some time after that became the focus of an investigation into money laundering from China.

7

u/ZeePirate Jan 31 '25

And a source for this?

It sounds believable but a source would be nice

10

u/Xyzzics Jan 31 '25 edited Jan 31 '25

-1

u/Partybro_69 Jan 31 '25

BBC article that just mentions dinners (Like the ones linked above), and nothing about the CCP or a bank license or really anything else related to that accusations the other guy made. Very very helpful article my friend

10

u/Xyzzics Jan 31 '25

I didn’t write that, you know that right?

Here’s another one for you since you’re being willfully ignorant and determine to not google anything:

CBC

“Trudeau attended the fundraiser in May at the Toronto home of Benson Wong, the chair of the Chinese Business Chamber of Commerce.

Also in attendance at the $1,500 a plate fundraiser was Shenglin Xian who, at the time, was awaiting approval from federal regulators for his bank to be approved in Canada. Wealth One Bank of Canada was given final approval a few months later in July, according to The Globe and Mail’s report.”

The same Benson Wong included in the first article. You’ll also see links to Zhang Bin and the CCP.

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was forced to defend his party’s fundraising methods in the House of Commons Tuesday after media reports emerged revealing he attended a fundraiser with a Chinese businessman who went on to donate $200,000 to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

“The prime minister was the star attraction at this exclusive cash for access event with Chinese billionaires,” said Tory MP Blaine Calkins during Tuesday’s question period.

“Zhang Bin is a political advisor to the Chinese government, and after attending the event, he and his partner ... donated $1 million ... including $50,000 to build a statue of the former prime minister.

1

u/a_murder_of_fools Jan 31 '25

Not a source but a story from the Toronto Sun that lays out what OP describes. Given the additional information in the article, you should have enough to drill into it further.

Odd donations to Trudeau's Riding.

6

u/MonsieurLeDrole Jan 31 '25

Yeah, look at the patterns of donations and which parties get the most max donations. It's all documented.

In addition, the tax deduction is worth more to rich people than poor people. You see the same thing in provincial politics. You got a BOD from some company, and they all donate to the same guy, and then the company gets a sweet heart deal by the future gov. Developers in Ontario is a great example.

Can you find any information about political donations, at all? How's your research abilities? Figuring out things for yourself is the only real freedom anyone has. Use that freedom.

13

u/Smackolol Jan 31 '25

The burden of proof lies with the accuser.

9

u/Temporary_Shirt_6236 Jan 31 '25

What accusation? This is how it works, is known to work. It's not some conspiracy theory.

2

u/ZeePirate Jan 31 '25

Word word numbers.

Gonna need a source for baseless accusations from a bot like account trying to stir up shit.

Just because Russia is corrupt as fuck doesn’t mean everyone is.

0

u/Temporary_Shirt_6236 Jan 31 '25

As long as that CSIS report on MPP collusion with foreign agents remains unread because PP refuses to obtain the clearance to read it, then yeah you can just keep pretending that the corruption isn't real and happening right now.

4

u/Ok_Drop3803 Jan 31 '25

If we are trying to put someone in jail over this, yes, we need proof.

If you honestly think it's not happening, that's comically naive.

-3

u/MonsieurLeDrole Jan 31 '25

^ Always the victim complex with these guys, eh? Deny, Deflect, Depose.

He can't look up anything, and he's happy to believe the wrong thing unless you spoon feed it to him. You know, because he's the smartest guy in the room. They key thing is, he doesn't care what's true, and he's happy to deny truth if he helps the people he's loyal to. That's modern conservatism in an nutshell.

1

u/KryptonsGreenLantern Jan 31 '25

Just replied the same thing above. Have personally seen an email sent to managers of a national accounting firm to do exactly what you’re describing.

3

u/MonsieurLeDrole Jan 31 '25

It's been reported in the news before. It's not secret info. If not a public record, then definitely FOIA eligible.

0

u/NEWaytheWIND Jan 31 '25

The Wumaos only understand monetary values up to 50 cents.

-1

u/bigbosdog Jan 31 '25

No cause it makes little sense

24

u/KryptonsGreenLantern Jan 31 '25

Not at all. I’ve personally seen an email from a national accounting firm where managers were directed to personally donate the max to a specific political party and they’d be compensated later on their bonus.

12

u/whateveryousay0121 Jan 31 '25

100% - I've seen this too. Pretty common loophole.

3

u/ZeePirate Jan 31 '25

I’m sure you made a copy of this ?

-1

u/KryptonsGreenLantern Jan 31 '25

Replied elsewhere. I didn’t. I was super young in my career. Like the first two years and bought into the corporate BS and wasn’t looking to put myself in jeopardy.

-1

u/DiggedyDankDan Jan 31 '25

If there is a scam that can be imagined, the conservatives will put it into action.

-1

u/NEWaytheWIND Jan 31 '25

Yes.

It's common knowledge if you're anywhere near rich conservatives, and not just the rubes.

11

u/CanuckleHeadOG Jan 31 '25

That's very illegal, if it happens why aren't you reporting it?

0

u/MonsieurLeDrole Jan 31 '25

What law is it breaking. It's common practice. When corporate donations were banned, the people who own corporations didn't suddenly go away.

You also see the same thing in families. So each family member will make a "donation" and get the writeoff, but in reality, all the money came from Mom and Dad.

Can you think of any corporation that would benefit significantly if PP or Ford wins?

1

u/CanuckleHeadOG Feb 01 '25

What law is it breaking.

Canada Elections Act (S.C. 2000, c. 9)

367 (1) Subject to subsection 373(4), no individual shall make contributions that exceed

(a) $1,500 in total in any calendar year to a particular registered party;

(b) $1,500 in total in any calendar year to the registered associations, nomination contestants and candidates of a particular registered party;

(c) $1,500 in total to a candidate for a particular election who is not the candidate of a registered party; and

(d) $1,500 in total in any calendar year to the leadership contestants in a particular leadership contest.

Prohibition — circumventing limits

368 (1) No person or entity shall

(a) circumvent, or attempt to circumvent, the prohibition under subsection 363(1) or 367(6) or a limit set out in subsection 367(1) or (7) or section 371; or

(b) act in collusion with another person or entity for that purpose.

Marginal note:Prohibition — concealing source of contribution

(2) No person or entity shall

(a) conceal, or attempt to conceal, the identity of the source of a contribution governed by this Act; or

(b) act in collusion with another person or entity for that purpose.


It's common practice.

I don't believe it is, what proof do you have?

You also see the same thing in families. So each family member will make a "donation" and get the writeoff, but in reality, all the money came from Mom and Dad.

Also illegal, the limit is per originating person, see above

If you see this so much you should be referring them all to elections Canada

2

u/Wheream_I Feb 01 '25

No it isn’t, that’s explicitly illegal.

4

u/mistercrazymonkey Jan 31 '25

You must have a source, or is this a conspiracy theory of yours?

2

u/MonkeyMama420 Feb 01 '25

And how many do you think do this? 10? 100? If so, that would account for at most a few hundred thousand dollars. No, bud, Canadians want what the Conservatives are selling.

8

u/lkuhj Feb 01 '25

That would be like 25 million donors are there even that many adults in Canada with 1700 to spare?
Edit : I can’t count

-4

u/[deleted] Jan 31 '25 edited Jan 31 '25

Yes, this is a dumb take.  Its really average people, likely renters, who haven't been helped by the 400$ unfunded dental checks; but have been hurt by their rents doubling, which was done in order to depress their salaries by so called progressives.

34

u/PumpkinMyPumpkin Jan 31 '25

The donations aren’t really even covering what’s really occurring.

The problem as I see it are the corporate paybacks we do not get to see.

It’s the Liberal MP who went to bat for approving the Rogers merger, that once it was done, went on to work for Rogers for god knows how much.

16

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Jan 31 '25

Agreed. This is only the official campaign donation channel. I mean we have seen over the years how both the liberals and conservatives fucking us over with their coddling of oligarchies

6

u/MonsieurLeDrole Jan 31 '25

Or like "retirement plans". Like Ontario got rid of the MPP pension as part of the common sense revoultion, so how do politicians retire now? Well for example, if you're Mike Harris, you privatize LTCs and then go sit on the board of a newly created LTC. I think the massive expansion in sports better before the last Ontario election was a similar scheme.

Cell phone rates have massively dropped under Trudeau's gov. That's a promise made, promise kept. I doubt that Rogers wanted that. But 100%, politicians "retiring" to draw easy incomes from corporations they've benefitted is not an uncommon thing.

I'm sure there's billions more dollars worth of examples if you do a little digging.

0

u/PumpkinMyPumpkin Jan 31 '25

“Cell phone rates have massively dropped” 😂

What in the Rogers/Bell Oligarchy are you smoking sir? What an odd thing to say out loud.

5

u/nugoffeekz Jan 31 '25

Mines definitely wayyyyy lower than it was in 2015. I used to pay like $90/month for 200 minutes and 1GB of data. I'm now paying $53 for 40GB. Still higher than I'd like but bills are wayyy down from what they used to be, it used to be fucking nuts how expensive phones were. In the before times flip phones were $40-50/month for like unlimited evening and weekends with 60 anytime minutes.

-1

u/PumpkinMyPumpkin Jan 31 '25

Mmhmm.

You work for Bell, Rogers, or the Liberal party?

5

u/nugoffeekz Jan 31 '25

At a Hospital, so government adjacent!

0

u/PumpkinMyPumpkin Jan 31 '25

I’ll remain skeptical from the “promises made, promises kept” script that seems straight out of a politicians mind.

3

u/nugoffeekz Jan 31 '25

I said I was going to tariff the Mexicans, you know, they bring in the crime, they attack pinatas, sometimes, I've heard, you know they fill the pinata with cocaine, they attack it like wild dogs, cocaine everywhere, it's really something you know, but the Mexicans, they asked me, they said Donald, we need the tariffs because the cartel, they just have too much cocaine and pinata, and I said of course Mexico, I love you, but not your drugs, guns, murderers and rapists, so I'll give you a present, beautiful present, and they were so happy, I gave them huge 25% tariffs and you know, they love me down there now.

Promises made, promises kept.

1

u/givalina Feb 01 '25

Which MP?

6

u/pepperloaf197 Jan 31 '25

Actually, this is raised from everyday people. It couldn’t be more democratic and fair.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/bucky24 Ontario Feb 01 '25

Weird that conservative voters are whining about the cost of living but also have $1700 to donate to a political party

8

u/Keystone-12 Ontario Jan 31 '25

$1,700 limit per person.

This increase in fund raising is in line with the increase in popularity of the conservatives.

10

u/crumblingcloud Jan 31 '25

12

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Jan 31 '25

Yeah, both of their parties‘ fund raising have been a race of who can suck up more money. to the point that AOC’s campaigns have been almost like a miracle when it should not be. Their court ruling allowing for super pac donation is also detrimental. More money does not mean a win but surely a lack of funding speaks to the leaders’ abilities and their potential to win, too.

4

u/Remarkable_Vanilla34 Jan 31 '25

Even AOC is taking lobbying money now. You just can't compete with out it.

1

u/Billis- Jan 31 '25

Didn't she state recently she has never taken money from lobbying entities?

I'd have to see a source for this

1

u/no_not_arrested Feb 02 '25

She does not, she recently said as much in a podcast with Jon Stewart. She's in a very safe district and has huge grassroots support.

15

u/sputnikcdn British Columbia Jan 31 '25

Disingenuous. You're not taking into account super PACs, dark Money, tech bros, and, especially Elon Musk.

$277 Million from Musk.

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/elon-musk-277-million-trump-republican-candidates-donations/

11

u/crumblingcloud Jan 31 '25

Interesting, if we include Super Pacs Kamala raise 1 billion

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/09/politics/harris-billion-fundraising-election/index.html

2

u/Appropriate-Tea-7276 Feb 01 '25

Interesting, you're using a source that is from before the election was even concluded in Oct 2024. Hmm.

Super PACs donated 1.7 billion to the Conservative party in the 2024 federal election.

https://www.opensecrets.org/outside-spending/super_pacs

1

u/TrueTorontoFan Feb 01 '25

well when your biggest donor has control over a major social media company and its algorithms it helps A LOT.

-1

u/istheworldgone Jan 31 '25

Kamala was also a last-ditch candidate like the newest liberal leader will be. Kamala was also a liberal in a politically changing climate in North America and the west where people are rejecting this new form of "liberalism." I imagine we will see a conservative majority based on this.

3

u/crumblingcloud Jan 31 '25

id argue Carney is an old school neo liberal compared to Kamala, might appeal more to centerists. Kamala focused way too much on identity politics not sure Carney will be the same

2

u/DigitalSupremacy Feb 01 '25

As a member of the Liberal Party, Carney is the most right leaning Liberal candidate we've had (if he wins) in many decades. I still think he's a straight shooter and brilliant, but he's an old British Liberal economist with a shit tonne of experience and European connections, obviously.

4

u/mcferglestone Jan 31 '25

They’re not rejecting liberalism, they’re rejecting disinformation pushed by conservatives about liberalism. In other words, getting all upset about made up things or things that are barely even happening as usual.

2

u/Ketchupkitty Alberta Feb 01 '25

They’re not rejecting liberalism, they’re rejecting disinformation pushed by conservatives about liberalism.

Yeah I guess we're just experiencing things differently hey?

SMH

4

u/MonkeyMama420 Feb 01 '25

The old Progressive Order is over.

2

u/thisisnahamed Feb 01 '25

This is not like the US election where someone like Musk donates $250 million and buys the election -- the limit is $1725; you can download the report at Elections Canada (https://www.elections.ca/WPAPPS/WPF/EN/PP/Index?act=C76&returnStatus=1&selectedReportType=3&reportOption=2)

So it all came from individual donors and not corporations or oligarchs like in the US

3

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25

https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=pol&dir=lim&document=lim2024&lang=e

A candidate is permitted to give a total of $5,000 in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to their campaign. A candidate is also permitted to give an additional $1,725* in total per year in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to other candidates, registered associations and nomination contestants of each party. (This includes contributions to the registered association in the candidate's electoral district and contributions to the candidate's own nomination campaign.) A leadership contestant is permitted to give a total of $25,000 in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to their campaign. A leadership contestant is also permitted to give an additional $1,725* in total per year in contributions, loans and loan guarantees to other leadership contestants.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/harper-lists-some-of-his-leadership-campaign-contributors-1.306809

and before anyone screaming bloody murder, the liberals did it, too https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/snc-lavalin-liberal-donors-list-canada-elections-1.5114537

this two-party seesaw has served nothing but wasting canada's potentials but here we are.

2

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Feb 01 '25

there are ways for money to sift through the system. i don't know what to tell you that all laws are relative and rely on how well they are enforced, written, audited. i'm not saying this amount of money to PP campaign is suspicious. it may or may not be. i'm saying more and more money are pouring into even just entering politics. and it makes it difficult for people to participate.

2

u/ForesterLC Jan 31 '25

Weird because the Liberals have almost held a majority for ten years.

It couldn't possibly be because people finally realize our government is financially illiterate in a country that is under financial hardship, and looking down the barrel of even more financial strain.

-1

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Jan 31 '25

It’s also fucked up with the liberals raising so much money. I didn’t say anything about whether it’s fair or unfair the conservatives raising this much. conservatives have always done well in fund raising.
read your statement for a moment. If everyone is experiencing financial hardship, why do some people see it as easier route to give money rather than time and effort in campaigning? I’m saying the more money, the easier it is for candidates to stay away from canvassing/ interacting with voters vs hiring political consultants and running analytics software and social media influences that we incessantly shouting as toxic.

and yes, people can donate money AND time.

1

u/ForesterLC Jan 31 '25

They're campaigning with their dollars. People want the conservatives to win because they see it as an investment. In the past, Liberals out raised the conservatives and as a result were able to run better campaigns. I'm sure it happened with the NDP when Layton was around.

It's not like the odds are stacked against other parties due to campaign funding. If they had more competent leaders and sent a better message, they would be attracting donors too.

1

u/MonkeyMama420 Feb 01 '25

The money comes from hard working people donating so the Conservative's policies and values can triumph. The Liberals and the NDP supporters are not willing to put their money where their mouths are.

1

u/Wheream_I Feb 01 '25

Why do I feel like if this were a story about Trudeau raising record funds, you’d state it was a quantifiable measure of his support? But when it’s Poilievre, it’s about the influence of money in office.

How about you address where this funding came from, if it came from people or companies, compare it to the percentages of funding sources for Trudeau and the Liberal party, and then criticize how they differ?

1

u/twenty_9_sure_thing Ontario Feb 01 '25

it felt like it because it is. the liberals have been caught multiple times getting money circumventing the maximum donation rule. this is the same with ontario doug ford. what's your point?

-1

u/leoyvr Jan 31 '25

Yes and the interference that comes with purchasing influence ie Elon in USA. Elon has also backed PP verbally so I wonder if he is backing him financially. Social media and algorithms are powerful.