Fundraising Face-Off: Freeland Alleges Underreported Donations as Carney Surges Ahead

 

In the Liberal Party leadership race, fundraising numbers have ignited a fierce debate between top contenders. Former central banker Mark Carney continues to lead, having amassed approximately $1.9 million in campaign donations, while former finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s official figures stand at just over $226,661 according to Elections Canada data.

Freeland’s campaign, however, insists that the reported totals tell only part of the story. Spokesperson Katherine Cuplinskas revealed that her campaign’s actual fundraising effort is closer to $600,000, collected from more than 2,000 contributions. “Elections Canada data doesn’t tell the whole story,” the campaign stated on its social media account, explaining that Freeland’s team opted to have the party hold some contributions to avoid credit card and wire transfer fees—an approach that delayed the remittance of funds and led to an undercount in the official figures.

The discrepancy in reported totals underscores differing campaign strategies among leadership hopefuls. While Carney’s impressive haul positions him as a frontrunner, other candidates such as Karina Gould and Frank Baylis have also noted fundraising successes that may not yet be fully captured in the latest data.

With the leadership vote scheduled for March 9, both financial backing and grassroots support will be critical in determining the new face of the Liberal Party. As the next round of fundraising figures is anticipated in the coming days, the evolving financial picture will likely play a key role in shaping the race ahead.