Fundraising watch: A final pre-campaign push

Plus: What's in the Auditor General's report, duelling Oppo platform planks, Ford heads to the 905

ABOVE THE FOLD

FUNDRAISING WATCH — Political parties are kicking their fundraising machines into high gear as they close out 2021 with six months to go before the general election.

Both the PCs and Liberals have been working the phones lines and email inboxes, bombarding would-be supporters with pleas for cash that run the gamut, dealing with anything from “environmental destruction” to Premier DOUG FORD’s birthday. They’ve also been ramping up in-person fundraising events.

Here’s the latest standings, according to Elections Ontario’s real-time disclosures:

(Caveat: These don’t include donations under $200, which may bring the numbers down — especially for the NDP, which claims to be the party of smaller donors):

— For the PCs: Thus far in 2021, the governing party has pulled in a whopping $7,511,022 for its coffers.

Recent email blasts from fundraiser-in-chief TONY MIELE include: “Yes or No? In less than a year, Ontarians will choose between a party that says YES…Or the parties of t…