The Liberal Party bagged almost $16-million in political contributions last year, far outstripping its competition and its previous hauls in non-election years.
The figures are in annual returns that Elections Canada released yesterday and show the party riding high on individual and corporate donations, leaving competitors scrambling to soak up the leftovers.
The numbers do not include contributions to the Canadian Alliance, which was unable to file them on time. Alliance officials have said on several occasions that revenues dropped considerably because of the party's difficulties with its leadership.
According to the figures, the Liberals hauled in $15.9-million in contributions in 2001, compared to $14.6-million in 1999. The party received $20-million in 2000, but that was an election year, during which political parties require far more money for campaign purposes.
The vast amounts prompted critics to suggest that the governing Liberals change the Elections Act to reduce the amount of cash being funnelled into the party's coffers.
The Liberals have been accused over the past six months of political cronyism in advertising contracts awarded to firms that have become regular donors to the party.
Aaron Freeman, a spokesman for the lobby group Democracy Watch, said the Elections Canada data highlight the need to rein in political donations, which he said should be capped at about $3,000 per donor. He said that in the present situation, the biggest donors are the ones trying to influence the political system.
"Those with the greatest stake in political decisions are the ones bankrolling the political process," Mr. Freeman said.
While the Liberals prospered, the Tories found themselves with fewer donations in 1996 and a troubling drop in corporate contributions.
Joe Clark's party received $3.7-million last year, $2.2-million of which came from individuals and $1.5-million from businesses. Although the amount from individual donors stayed relatively steady from 1999, the corporate share dropped from $2.2-million two years ago. The party's debt has been pegged at $5.3-million. But it would have been higher had the party not sold a property worth more than $4-million.
Corporations have threatened to withhold donations from the country's two conservative parties. Although the Alliance did not report, its leader, Stephen Harper has said he wants his party to rely less on corporate money and more on individuals.
The New Democratic Party collected about $4.4-million. Of that, organized labour contributed $795,000 and about $3.4-million came from the party's rank and file. The NDP raked in about $6.4-million in 1999, a figure that was boosted because the federal and provincial parties rolled their contributions together on one balance sheet. This is the first year the wings have reported separately.
Bloc Québécois revenues of $1.5-million were obtained from donations and membership sales.
The biggest donations to the Liberal Party came from corporate Canada, including companies that depend on federal regulations or subsidies. Major contributors were law firms, energy producers, banks, telecommunications firms, ad agencies and lobbyists.
The No. 1 donor to the Liberals was Bombardier ($142,500), a multinational company that receives federal contracts and subsidies, and depends on federal support in a trade-dispute fight with its Brazilian competitor, Embraer.
Banks and financial institutions also are at the top of the list: Bank of Montreal ($83,800) and its affiliate BMO Nesbitt Burns ($33,000) lead the way. Major contributions came from Scotiabank ($61,000), Royal Bank of Canada ($33,500) and RBC Dominion ($41,000).
Lobby groups working to influence federal policy on issues such as global warming and bank mergers also were prominent contributors. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers gave $16,898; the Canadian Bankers Association $13,000 and the Canadian Drug Manufacturers Association $11,764.
Other companies that made generous donations to the Liberals include Imperial Tobacco ($24,346) and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges ($5,005).
POLITICAL DONATIONS
Donations, by party, 2001:
Liberal Party
Top 5 donations:
Bombardier............$142,503
Bank of Montreal.......$89,700
BCE and affiliates
(such as Bell Canada,
Bell Globemedia, CTV).$84,000
Power Corp.............$74,346
Bank of Nova Scotia....$61,052
OVERALL TOTAL....$15.9-million
New Democratic Party
Notable donations:
Canadian Union of
Public Employees......$187,859
Communication, Energy
and Paperworkers
National Headquarters.$117,529
United Steel Workers of
America District 6....$193,362
Canadian Auto Workers...$87,076
OVERALL TOTAL......$4.4-million
PC Party
Top 5 donations:
Power Corporation.......$56,918
Future Electronics Inc..$33,672
TD Securities...........$32,788
Molson Inc..............$30,484
Dominion Securities.....$28,959
OVERALL TOTAL......$3.6-million
Bloc Quebecois
OVERALL TOTAL......$1.5-million