Tories no longer undisputed fundraising champions, surpassed by Liberals

OTTAWA – Money, it seems, follows power.

The Liberal party is the new king of the federal fundraising hill, surpassing the Conservatives who’ve been the undisputed champions for more than a decade.

The literal reversal of fortune, disclosed in fourth-quarter financial reports filed with Elections Canada, reflects the reversal of the two parties’ political fortunes in the Oct. 19 election.

The Liberals scored an upset majority victory, reducing the Conservatives to official Opposition status.

The financial reports show the Liberals raked in $6.5 million during the last three months of 2015, from almost 56,000 donors.

The Conservatives pulled in $5.3 million from 42,750 donors.

The NDP, which finished a disappointing third in the election, pulled in $2.8 million from almost 63,000 donors.

During the third quarter of 2015, which covered the first two months of the 11-week election campaign, the Liberals raised less money than either the Conservatives or NDP. The NDP had been leading in public opinion polls for much of that time.