SCOOP: The real spending of the 2022 election
Also: Strange bedfellows in the Hammer, further privatizing health care, AG to decide on Greenbelt probe, staff moves, birthdays and much more
ABOVE THE FOLD
First in Queen’s Park Observer — PAYOUTS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Today, we’re revealing not just what the parties spent their money on during the spring election, but who was actually paid out.
These details aren’t in the broader campaign returns that are available online, which you can catch up on here. To wit: The PCs spent about $11.5 million, the NDP coughed up $13 million and the Grits put up $9.6 million to run their campaigns.
Read on to find out how much was paid to PC pollster NICK KOUVALIS, NDP-friendly unions, Liberal campaign director CHRISTINE MCMILLAN and much more.
The highlights — but first, a caveat:
The payments below are what the parties filed in their campaign returns at Elections Ontario, which covers the writ period; a separate filing will be made for the calendar year and that's due on May 31st. In other words, the individuals and companies below may have received other payments. All political parties paid for staff members under a salaries budget line — those payments are not broken out by individual recipient.
I'm also not listing every single NDP and Liberal consultant, just the ones that stand out. But as a general trend, the Liberals spent more on consultants — and paid more per consultant —than the NDP did. Most NDP consultants made less than $10,000 with very limited exceptions. Both Oppo parties hired dozens more individual consultants than the PCs.
📈 The research, polling, outreach and operations:
For the PCs:
Longtime Tory operative and PC pollster NICK KOUVALIS’s firm Campaign Research: $506,272
Kouvalis’s other firm Campaign Support: $734,316, including for research and polling, outreach, travel and “transfers paid out”
ElectRight Inc., where MICHAEL CRASE, former executive director of the PC Party, previously worked as chief operating officer: $423,750
The Responsive Marketing Group, the firm connected to the PCs invoice-style fundraising mailer controversy: $122,264
Yorkville Strategies, headed up by Tory adviser and partner at Maple Leaf Strategies DIMITRI PANTAZOPOULOS: $63,000
Unilogic Solutions: $513,945
Endgame Strategies: $16,950
Government Technologies Solutions: $75,710
Stack Data Strategy: $142,241
For the NDP:
BlueSky Communications: $421,080
Viewpoints Research: $253,656
New Democratic Party of Canada Association, for voter contact services: $38,980
Callhub, a call centre: $49,192
NetFore Systems: $44,131
Metric Strategies: $25,728
For the Liberals:
Data Sciences — which is helmed by Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU’s childhood friend and former campaign chief digital strategist TOM PITFIELD, and is the keeper of the party’s voter-contact database Liberalist: $3,588,127 (including advertising)
POLISCIENCE — sister company to high-profile strategist DON GUY’s Pollara Strategic Insights, run by DAN ARNOLD — for focus groups: $386,470
Bellwether Technologies, for telephone polling: $553,588
For the Greens:
OraclePoll: $11,808
💼 The consultants and workers:
For the PCs:
BDO Canada LLP: $221,666
Creative Currency, ad agency and sister firm to Enterprise: $168,406
For the NDP:
DEB PARENT, then-leader ANDREA HORWATH’s assistant: $11,071 in wages and a $1,001 per diem
Canadian Labour Congress: $23,488
United Steelworkers: $8,451
UFCW Canada Local 1006A: $10,327
Saskatchewan New Democrats: $6,462
For the Liberals:
JONATHAN ESPIE, campaign manager and ex-ministerial chief of staff: $68,300
CHRISTINE MCMILLAN, campaign director: $66,000
CHARISSA KLANDER, who oversaw the candidate nominations process: $66,605
BECKIE CODD-DOWNEY, who’s now volunteering for potential leadership contender YASIR NAQVI’s campaign: $44,619
TIM SMITHEMAN: $28,500
Strongbow Strategies, run by DEYAN KOSTOVSKI, a former federal Liberal party exec: $16,272
DAN MOULTON and ANDREA ERNESAKS: $15,000 each
NATALIE HART, party presidential candidate, for the “campaign checklist” project: $3,900
OMAR KHAN: $3,000
GABE SEKALY, who costed the platform, and SAM ANDRAY, who also worked on it: $2,500 each
For the Greens:
JO-ANN ROBERTS, ex-interim leader of the federal Greens, deputy leader of the Nova Scota Greens, and interim executive director of the B.C. Greens: $6,000
🍔 The food:
For the PCs:
Posticino, the high-end Italian restaurant in Etobicoke where DOUG FORD and RON TAVERNER dined months before his infamous, now-defunct OPP appointment: $22,826
The Burger’s Priest: $5,012
Pizza Nova: $3,412
McDonald’s: $1,012
Uber Eats: $6,169
Whitebox Catering: $38,261
Guy’s Snack Service: $6,094
Como En Casa: $1,146
For the NDP:
Glory Hole Donuts: $1,233
Bluffers Restaurant: $9,960
Hearty Catering: $83,081
JC’s Banquet and Grill: $1,107
For the Liberals:
Donatello: $5,708
The Greek Grill: $2,966
Madison Avenue pub night: $3,656
The Daily Dumpling: $2,299
Churrasco: $1,366
The Burger’s Priest: $1,323
For the Greens:
Cinamon Girls Catering: $1,687
Magic Oven: $2,865
📢 The advertising:
For the PCs, which coughed up $6,468,189 overall — by far the biggest expense of the campaign:
CHCH TV: $41,256
Abcon Media, outdoor ad firm: $69,765
Allvision Development: $169,500
Ahlfeld Media: $675,615
Bell Media: $806,818
Blackburn Media: $21,394
CBC: $63,148
Cineplex Media: $104,724
Corus Sales: $554,051
YES TV, a religious station: $111,124
Ethnic Channels Group: $29,199
Lauralea Mast Media: $219,199
Pattison Outdoor Advertising: $101,344
Postmedia Network: $925,695
Rogers Media: $1,723,872
Stingray Radio: $56,983
Target Broadcast Sales: $142,802
TSN: $108,457
For the NDP:
Now Communications Group: $4,643,907
Measured Campaign: $1,772,083
Google: $181,459
Facebook: $121,194
Point Blank Creative, an ad agency: $139,633
TARANVIR DHALIWAL, a vice-president on the NDP executive: $46,681
Unique Media Solutions, for the bus wrap: $11,826
Impact Strategies: $10,000
Beattle and Associates: $11,076
Asian World Today: $17,761
Rogers Media: $7,514
For the Liberals:
To design the new Liberal logo, panned by many, Scott Thornley & Company: $20,340
For social media influencers and mailers, Pomp & Circumstance, co-founded by AMANDA ALVARO: $99,604
Fuse Create: $2,278,618
Hogan Millar Media: $345,917
KPW Communications, run by former Grit adviser and journalist KARMAN WONG, for multicultural media relations: $175,003
PAULO SENRA, via PUSHPULL Communications: $68,934
For the Greens:
HotSpex Media: $374,228
Clear Media: $193,870
RAIN 43 (VCA Inc), for campaign development: $137,080
Keys 360 Marketing: $65,923
Facebook: $12,595
Google: $1,153
🚗 The travel and accommodation:
For the PCS:
Air Canada: $13,342
Airbnb: $6,803
Ayr Coach Lines: $172,579
Bingemans, a campground and water park in Kitchener: $1,380
Flightexec, a private jet company: $74,272
Hertz: $25,112
For the NDP:
Intercontinental Toronto Centre, where Horwath held several press conferences about health care, featuring workers who joined virtually: $345,184
Coach Canada, for the tour bus: $110,633. Plus $32,175 for retrofitting.
Airbnb: $43,708
Chelsea Hotel: $7,491
Enterprise: $139,265
Mondial Aviation: $91,355
For the Liberals:
The van: $90,668
Air Canada: $9,874
Porter: $3,358
Airbnb: $3,260
Avis: $14,893
For the Greens:
Enterprise: $7,212
🎉 The victory party:
For the PCs, which spent $198,644 total:
Toronto Congress Centre, Ford’s oft-used Etobicoke venue: $152,936
AD Groups Public Relations: $397,802
Showtech: $19,546
The Treasurer, City of Toronto: $1,545
For the NDP:
Hamilton Convention Centre: $34,314
Lindsay Duncan photography: $32,821
Project X Productions: $210,171
DEVON SISSONS, then-director of the Oppo leader’s secretariat, for accomodations: $13,613
💻 The data:
For the PCs:
Proximity Mobile, an Indigenous woman-owned software development and management firm based in Winnipeg: $22,035
For the NDP:
Canadian Labour Congress, for digital support: $11,185
LINDSAY BERNATH, for fundraising-related web development: $36,902
💸 And more:
For the PCs:
Executek International, a security firm: $59,912
Photography: $24,000
A custom flag: $2,650
Portable toilets: $1,028
For the Liberals:
SUZANNE COLMER, style and image consultant: $13,425
Drapes: $2,493
For the Greens:
Performer Samba Elégua at Pride: $1,500
Reusable water bottles: $1,004
Was the money well spent? Is there a line item you’re interested in knowing more about? What’s the best meal on the hustings? I want to hear from you, and I’ll keep you anonymous. Send your hot takes and queries to sabrina@qpobserver.ca, or just reply to this email.
STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
He once likened her voice to “nails on a chalkboard.” Now, DOUG FORD is singing ANDREA HORWATH’s praises.
In Hamilton for a funding announcement at a bakery, the Premier stood side-by-side with the Mayor — which would have been an unthinkable scene just seven months ago when the pair were sparring over the election.
But municipalities are creatures of the province, and Horwath and Ford are now working together.
Ford said he was “thrilled to be standing with instead of standing across the aisle” from “the great mayor of Hamilton.” He laughed heartily at her quips about much “kneaded” investment at the commercial bakery.
Horwath — who helmed the NDP since 2009 before stepping down on June 2 — said she much prefers working with the powers-that-be from the mayor’s seat.
“I’m thrilled to see you all and I was saying on our way in, I like talking to you this way,” Horwath told Ford and fellow ministers.
The actual announcement: $1.5 million for Bimbo Canada, the nation’s biggest commercial bakery, which is making a $15 million manufacturing investment.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED — Meanwhile, on the (conditional) health care funding the premiers are demanding from Ottawa: Ford said that, despite his comments a day earlier, he isn’t keen on going it alone for a deal.
Ford and his fellow first ministers have been pushing PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU to hike the feds share of health funding from 22 per cent to 35 — and Ottawa and health care workers say that should come with strings attached, something the premiers have bristled at as a group.
Ford changed tack this week, saying he’s cool with strings attached and “accountability” — but only if his fellow first ministers are on side.
“I always believe in sticking with other premiers,” he said. “I’m still confident we’re gonna get a deal…I’m very, very confident. So we’re gonna keep working at it.”
DEAR BONNIE
Brace yourselves: the Auditor General will decide next week whether to dig into the Ford government’s controversial Greenbelt carve-up.
Why it matters: It’s a potentially bombshell investigation — even if there’s no finding of fishy behaviour or sharing of insider information, which critics allege — as the AG has much more access to internal documents and behind-the scenes decision-making processes than reporters or Oppo MPPs.
Either way, an investigation would shine more light on the process. And the launch of an investigation itself will create plenty of ammo for Oppo benches to use against the PCs when Question Period returns next month.
The latest: BONNIE LYSYK says her office is looking into requests from Oppo leaders asking for an investigation into the financial and environmental impacts of the PCs plan to develop the previously protected lands.
Incoming NDP Leader MARIT STILES, interim Grit captain JOHN FRASER and Green Leader MIKE SCHREINER signed off on a joint request calling for a value-for-money audit and an environmental assessment of the decision to open up the lands for development — which the PCs maintain is necessary for much-needed housing.
“Given the strong likelihood of negative impacts on the environment, we are requesting your office investigate the environmental impact of the removal of these Greenbelt lands on agricultural and natural systems,” they wrote. “Additionally, we are requesting a value-for-money audit investigating how much public wealth has been transferred to property owners and whether these land transactions are in the public interest.”
What’s next: Lysyk isn’t the only one weighing an investigation into the Greenbelt sell-off. Environmental advocates have complained to the OPP’s anti-rackets branch and Schreiner has written to Ethics watchdog J. DAVID WAKE. This is also Stiles’s second letter to the AG.
The PC line: Housing Minister STEVE CLARK and Premier DOUG FORD have denied accusations that developers were tipped off about the Greenbelt being opened up ahead of the official announcement.
HAPPENING TODAY
— 10 a.m.: An announcement about high-speed internet service from local PC ROB FLACK (Elgin—Middlesex—London), parliamentary assistant to the Rural Affairs Minister, in Mossley.
IN OTHER NEWS…
— PRIVATIZATION CREEP: A bombshell scoop from the CBC: “DOUG FORD’s government is preparing to significantly ramp up the number of surgeries done in privately run for-profit clinics.
“Ford and Health Minister SYLVIA JONES are planning to make an announcement next week on expanding the number and range of surgeries performed in independent health facilities outside of hospitals, said a senior government official, who asked not to be named because they were laying out government plans.”
The reasoning: “For Ontario patients, the official says the move will lead to thousands more surgeries and diagnostic procedures performed each year, an immediate way to reduce wait times for such operations as cataract removals.
But: “Health-care professionals are concerned that the move would drain resources from publicly funded hospitals and benefit the owners of private-sector clinics without improving patient care.”
Related: “As the Ford government strategized ways to cut down on the COVID-19 surgical backlog, provincial health officials set aside a small pot of public funding for private hospitals and independent heath facilities, according to documents obtained by Global News.”
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
STAFFING UP — In Colleges and Universities Minister JILL DUNLOP’s office: ALEX CATHERWOOD has signed on as manager of operations and MPP liaison. MAAYAN ELFASSY joins as digital comms adviser.
PROMOTION — It’s Info-go official: NOAH NG goes from comms adviser to manager of stakeholders to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services MERRILEE FULLERTON.
ON THE CIVIL SERVICE SIDE — ANN DOOSE is returning to the Treasury Board Secretariat as a senior issues and media adviser. Doose was previously a seniors comms and issues adviser at the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
Expecting the Lobbying Dispatch here? Don’t worry, you’re not missing anything — there were no new, renewed and amended registrations posted in the past 24 hours. Yesterday’s.
🥳 HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY: NDP MPP JOEL HARDEN (Ottawa Centre).
⌛ COUNTDOWN: T-minus 35 days until the Premier has to call a byelection in Hamilton Centre…22 days until MARIT STILES takes lead of the NDP…39 days until the House reconvenes….77 days until the budget is legally due out.