OTTAWA — The Conservative Party has broken a record for the best-ever first quarter fundraising result by a federal political party, which they are taking as a sign Canadians have been paying attention as the SNC-Lavalin scandal has unfolded. It was the finest first-quarter showing in “Canadian political history,” said Conservative spokesman Cory Hann, though donations have only been reported this way since 2005. For their part, the Liberals were still finalizing their first-quarter figures on Monday and would not provide a total. According to financial returns provided to Elections Canada, in 2017, the Tories spent $7.2 million on fundraising expenses versus the Liberals’ $2.7 million. The Liberals, according to Caley, have nominated “more than 180,” but the majority of these are for seats the party already holds.

Source: National Post April 29, 2019 20:54 UTC