$4.9M

[Shakeyhands]

Tories outspent Liberals by $4.9M in last vote

The Tories spent $19.4 million during the five-week campaign last September and October, almost $5 million – or 33 per cent – more than the second-place Liberals.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/616576

Thats not much of a return given the results....

[Molly]

Our local Conservative is currently being raked over the coals for a percieved abuse of official communications for campaign purposes. The little local papers are keeping her toes to the fire, and challenging the explanations aggressively...

...so, it's a REPORTED $5M more, but actual numbers may never be known.

[kimmy]

The most surprising thing here is that the Liberals somehow came up with $14.5 million under Moon Unit Dion. How'd that happen!?

-k

[jdobbin]

How'd that happen!?

Borrowing from the bank and paying it back through the tax subsidy.

[kimmy]

Borrowing from the bank and paying it back through the tax subsidy.

They were going to repay using the $1.70 (or however much) per vote?

Anyway, considering how much Liberal supporters bemoaned the Conservatives' financial advantage during the election, and how much Moon Unit cried about it after the election, I'm surprised to learn that the Liberals actually had this much to spend themselves.

Anyway, I think yourself and Shakey should acknowledge Dion's crushing defeat for what it was: a huge blessing to the Liberal Party. Each time you read about the life Ignatieff is bringing back to the party, don't you feel a huge amount of relief that Dion got his ass kicked so thoroughly? You yourself, Dobbins, were worried that the LPC might be facing permanent ruination. Now that Dion has been fed to the dogs, donations are coming in again, support is up all across the country, even Albertans are interested in the new guy. The Liberals are a national alternative again, instead of the regional protest party of the GTA and certain parts of Montreal and Vancouver.

Personally, I think you guys should write a nice little "thank you" to everybody who didn't vote Liberal, for helping you get rid of that gigantic boat anchor.

-k

[jdobbin]

They were going to repay using the $1.70 (or however much) per vote?

It was one way they were going to pay back. The other was through donations which Dion was never very good at.

Anyway, considering how much Liberal supporters bemoaned the Conservatives' financial advantage during the election, and how much Moon Unit cried about it after the election, I'm surprised to learn that the Liberals actually had this much to spend themselves.

I don't know how many times people have to be reminded about the namecalling on leaders and parties. It simply degenerates the thread.

As for the point: The Tories were able to able to replenish their funds within a short timeframe likely without borrowing whereas the Liberals were able to borrow that much based on a longer timeframe for repayment.

Anyway, I think yourself and Shakey should acknowledge Dion's crushing defeat for what it was: a huge blessing to the Liberal Party. Each time you read about the life Ignatieff is bringing back to the party, don't you feel a huge amount of relief that Dion got his ass kicked so thoroughly? You yourself, Dobbins, were worried that the LPC might be facing permanent ruination.

The destruction and not mere defeat was the objective of the Tories in terms of the economic statement. The Tories intended to call an election before May to face a party with the old leader and no funds (as they were going to be used in a leadership convention). There was no way that the Tories wanted to go into tough economic times with a minority government. There was no way they wanted to really go into detail what they would do in such a recession until they had a majority.

Now that Dion has been fed to the dogs, donations are coming in again, support is up all across the country, even Albertans are interested in the new guy. The Liberals are a national alternative again, instead of the regional protest party of the GTA and certain parts of Montreal and Vancouver.

It just goes to show that that Canadians blamed both Dion and Harper for the mess in November. The big difference now is that the Liberals got rid of Dion.

Personally, I think you guys should write a nice little "thank you" to everybody who didn't vote Liberal, for helping you get rid of that gigantic boat anchor.

And you guys might be able to write a nice thank you back when you get rid of Harper. He is the anchor for the Tories now.

[kimmy]

And you guys might be able to write a nice thank you back when you get rid of Harper. He is the anchor for the Tories now.

He might be the thing holding the party back. He might be the only thing holding the party together. He might be both. While it certainly appears they're not going to grow further with him at the helm, I don't know what the party's future looks like without him. More center-minded voters might be willing to consider the Conservatives if somebody with a less social-conservative reputation were leading, but Harper's social-conservative street-cred might be the only thing keeping the right wing of the party from heading off on its own again. Harper's eventual successor is going to have a huge challenge, and (like it or not) huge shoes to fill.

But you do agree that Dion's devastating loss was a blessing for the Liberals, right?

-k

[Shakeyhands]

Moon Unit Dion.

-k

Haha... I like that one..

[Shakeyhands]

They were going to repay using the $1.70 (or however much) per vote?

Anyway, considering how much Liberal supporters bemoaned the Conservatives' financial advantage during the election, and how much Moon Unit cried about it after the election, I'm surprised to learn that the Liberals actually had this much to spend themselves.

Anyway, I think yourself and Shakey should acknowledge Dion's crushing defeat for what it was: a huge blessing to the Liberal Party. Each time you read about the life Ignatieff is bringing back to the party, don't you feel a huge amount of relief that Dion got his ass kicked so thoroughly? You yourself, Dobbins, were worried that the LPC might be facing permanent ruination. Now that Dion has been fed to the dogs, donations are coming in again, support is up all across the country, even Albertans are interested in the new guy. The Liberals are a national alternative again, instead of the regional protest party of the GTA and certain parts of Montreal and Vancouver.

Personally, I think you guys should write a nice little "thank you" to everybody who didn't vote Liberal, for helping you get rid of that gigantic boat anchor.

-k

I don't disagree Kimmy and I didn't vote Liberal last go round. Getting rid of Dion was certainly a blessing.

[jdobbin]

He might be the thing holding the party back. He might be the only thing holding the party together. He might be both. While it certainly appears they're not going to grow further with him at the helm, I don't know what the party's future looks like without him. More center-minded voters might be willing to consider the Conservatives if somebody with a less social-conservative reputation were leading, but Harper's social-conservative street-cred might be the only thing keeping the right wing of the party from heading off on its own again. Harper's eventual successor is going to have a huge challenge, and (like it or not) huge shoes to fill.

And there's the rub. No one knows who will come after Harper.

At some point, it will be moot. Harper has one election left for his career to capture that majority. There is nothing to indicate that he is heading for that majority.

But you do agree that Dion's devastating loss was a blessing for the Liberals, right?

I said since 2006 that Dion would not win the next election.

The Liberals were actually able to avoid an unequivocal and devastating loss in the last election simply by letting the Tories show their tin ear on Quebec and the economy.

However, most Liberals were not content of more of the same when it came to disorganization at the top and Dion did not inspire the party. The Liberals were convinced that Harper wanted to go the polls in less than a year and that became evident in the November economic statement.

It would have been Harper who faced the wrath of his party had the Governor General not let him avoid a confidence vote.

[Molly]

Blessing? I suppose.

I saw Dions elevation to the leadership as an act of cleansing in the party-- a slapdown of 'the usual machinery', and a very sharp tug on the leash by party members.

I seriously doubt anyone expected Dion to do well politically, but simply to be what he is-- an ethical man who cares deeply about what kind of Canada we live in- a 'time out' for apparatchiks who had become too complacent in their belief that they were in charge, and untouchable.

He was given a particularly difficult job- that of 'holding the bag'. He did what he was put there to do, and now we've all moved on.

(edit: I have to add that I think he did a better job of it than Kim Cambell. Her party had to be completely erased to expunge the spots, and has yet to be rebuilt.)

Edited April 11, 2009 by Molly