The Liberal Party of Canada was the biggest source of money for Pam Goldsmith-Jones’ successful federal election run last fall.
As reported earlier, Goldsmith-Jones, who captured West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country from incumbent Conservative John Weston, was one of the highest-spending Liberal candidates in the country.
Returns filed with Elections Canada also show that some $225,400 came into the campaign as direct transfers from the Liberal Party’s national office – the most for any of the party’s candidates. Seven other campaigns in B.C. were also among the 10 that got the most money from party headquarters during the 11-week campaign.
Goldsmith-Jones declared $177,892.58 in campaign spending, eighth highest among Liberals. Of that, $81,900 was spent on advertising and $21,700 on “voter contact calling services.”
Conservative John Weston, who finished second, got a substantial amount of his campaign financing through the West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country Conservative Riding Association. It transferred $75,000 to the Weston campaign.
Weston spent $199,351.34 in a losing bid for re-election – also in the top 10 in his party, and for candidates across the country.
Funds raised by a riding association were the main source of campaign financing for Green Ken Melamed, amounting to $122,000. (Melamed’s reported campaign spending was $129,042.88).
The NDP’s Larry Koopman has yet to file a campaign financing report.
