Democracy In Action?

Money talks, and in Ottawa it's saying: No election this year

Posted: May 01, 2009,

If further proof was needed that the improving fortunes of the Liberals is a nightmare for the New Democratic Party, the latest figures on party fundraising provide it.

According to Pundits Guide, the Conservatives took in $4,361,540.04 in the first quarter of 2009, down almost $600,000, or about 10%, from last year. But NDP donations are down 50%, to just $595,611.

The Liberals, with a new executive director and increased focus on fixing their ailing fundraising efforts, increased their take by $1 million in the first quarter, roughly equivalent to the amount lost by the other two parties.

You can't run a national election campaign on the kind of money the NDP is bringinging in -- at least not the big-spending kind of campaign Jack Layton bragged of last year -- especially when the same donors are being asked to finance a provincial election in B.C.

So don't expect to see Mr. Layton in any big hurry to bring down Stephen Harper.

National Post