Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday August 3, 2017
Jagmeet Singh leads NDP leadership fundraising as race heats up
Jagmeet Singh was last to enter the federal NDP leadership race, but he’s first in fundraising.
Financial reports filed with Elections Canada for the second quarter of 2017 indicate that the Ontario MPP has pulled in $353,944 since joining the race to replace Tom Mulcair in mid-May.
Northern Ontario MP Charlie Angus raised $123,574 between April 1 and June 30.
During the same period, Manitoba MP Niki Ashton raised $70,124, while Quebec MP Guy Caron raised $46,970.
British Columbia MP Peter Julian, who dropped out of the race in early July, raised $28,673.
In an email blast to supporters, Singh’s campaign boasted that he raised more than $350,000 in just 47 days — 30 days less than it took Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to raise the same amount during the 2013 Liberal leadership race and 77 days less than it took Andrew Scheer during the recent Conservative contest.
“In just 47 days we built a truly nationwide operation that shows how a Jagmeet-led NDP will take on the Liberals and Conservatives,” the email said.
Voting in the NDP contest begins in September, with results to be announced in October.
In all, the leadership contestants raised $643,285.
That’s on top of the $826,664 raised by the NDP, which continues to trail well behind the two main federal parties in fundraising. (Source: Toronto Star)