'These numbers are shocking': Alberta NDP doubles UCP in 2021 Q2 fundraising
The Official Opposition in Alberta fundraised double that of the reigning provincial party during the second quarter of 2021.
Elections Alberta released contribution reporting for April to June that shows the New Democratic Party (NDP) raising more than $1.5 million while the United Conservative Party (UCP) raised approximately $715,886.
The NDP continued their streak of raising more funds than the UCP. The party has out-fundraised the UCP since first quarter 2020. The opposition raised more than $5 million in 2020 while the UCP gathered around $3.7 million.
In 2019, the UCP raised more than the NDP every quarter, with an annual total of around $6.4 million while the NPD raised approximately $5.5 million.
'UNPRECEDENTED' RESULTS
“The reason why we look at (donations) is they give us a good indication of how broad based a party’s support is,” Melanee Thomas, political scientist and associate professor at the University of Calgary, told CTV News in an interview.
For Thomas, contributions of $250 and less are an important indicator of support as they can show everyday people making decisions to financially support a political party.
“That is a form of political participation. Usually when people think about political participation, they think it is only about voting,” she added. “(Donating) is important as it is literally somebody saying, I care enough about politics to put my money into it.”
According to Elections Canada reporting, the NDP have raised $1.3 million in donations from contributions of $250 and under. The UCP have raised more than $437,000.
“These numbers are shocking,” Thomas said. “This is unprecedented for Canadian politics.
“In our system the party in government has all the resources, they control the political agenda, they get to dominate the news,” the political scientist added. “For the Official Opposition to double the party in government if I were that party in government, I would be very concerned about these numbers.
“The party in opposition out-fundraises the government, this is weird,” Thomas said. “This does not happen.”
The United Conservative Party did not respond to a request for comment.
In a statement, the NDP said they have raised more money in the second quarter than the UCP has in all of 2021.
“With each passing day, more Albertans are frustrated with Jason Kenney and his UCP government,” said Rachel Notley, leader of the official opposition.
“He ran on a promise of jobs and economic growth, and over halfway through his mandate, he has failed to deliver on any of those promises,” Notley added. “We’ll continue to bring forward a positive vision for Alberta’s future. One that diversifies our economy and creates good jobs for Albertans while recognizing the vital role of the public service and rejecting the race to the bottom.”
The NDP say they had 14,811 total donors, including 2,462 who were first time donors. The average donation amount was $42.43.
Premier Jason Kenney had the lowest approval rating among Canadian premiers, according to Angus Reid polling released in June. When Kenney took office in June 2019, his approval was 61 per cent. In June this year his approval rating was at 31 per cent.
- Kenney's approval rating lowest in the country: Angus Reid poll
- More Albertans dissatisfied with provincial pandemic response: new poll
- Kenney's approval rating continues to slide as pandemic progresses: poll
The next provincial election is slated for between March and May of 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.