Trudeau Liberal party fundraiser drew fewer than 90 supporters to Vancouver hotel
Several hundred anti-Israel protesters gathered outside Vancouver’s Westin Bayshore hotel, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared at a Liberal Party fundraiser before Christmas. Despite the passionate display of opposition, only a few dozen party supporters attended the event on December 14. The regulated fundraising event report filed with Elections Canada indicated that there were 87 attendees at An Evening with Justin Trudeau. The report did not disclose the amount raised but stated that the contribution required ranged from $0 to $1,700.
Compared to a similar event held just over a year earlier in Surrey, where 302 people attended, the turnout at the Vancouver fundraiser was significantly lower. At the Surrey event, the admission ranged from $500 to $1,675.
Trudeau’s appearance at the Westin Bayshore marked the last Liberal fundraiser of the year, during a period when the Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative Party was experiencing strong support in both opinion polls and fundraising efforts. The next election is scheduled for October 2025, but an earlier election could be a possibility.
Although the totals for the fourth quarter have not been released by Elections Canada, the Conservatives raised a substantial $23.3 million in total contributions through the end of September 2023, while the Liberals trailed with $9.8 million. The Conservatives also saw higher engagement from donors, with an average of almost 45,000 donors per quarter compared to just over 30,000 for the Liberals.
According to Hamish Telford, a political science professor at the University of the Fraser Valley, Trudeau’s modernization of Liberal fundraising efforts has not leveled the playing field. The Conservatives, he noted, continue to benefit from the grassroots populism of the Reform Party, which excelled in raising funds through small donations. Telford suggested that the recent decline in Trudeau’s popularity, alongside the Conservative Party’s enthusiastic base of supporters, may be contributing factors to the Liberal Party’s fundraising struggles.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment, referring reporters to the party headquarters, which did not respond to inquiries.
In addition to Trudeau, the December 14 event featured Harjit Sajjan, the minister of emergency preparedness, and Mary Ng, the minister of small business, export promotion, and international trade of Canada.
This fundraiser was the first major local event with Trudeau since a series of fundraisers held in late summer at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, including one for Vancouver-Granville MP Taleeb Noormohamed. The attendance for those events ranged from 31 to 67 people, with admission prices ranging from $0 to $1,700.
While the Conservatives continue to enjoy a fundraising advantage, Trudeau has expressed his intention to lead the party into the next election. However, Hamish Telford suggested that if Trudeau were to retire and trigger a leadership convention, it could generate excitement and revenue for the party.
Amidst the fundraising challenges, Trudeau’s government announced a judicial public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, including meddling by China and Russia.
Notably, two attendees of the December 14 fundraiser, Hilbert Yiu and Maria Ling Xu, have links to Lower Mainland groups associated with the Chinese consulate in Vancouver. Yiu, the former chair of the Chinese Benevolent Association, attended Chinese national day celebrations in Beijing in 2019 and coordinated a local petition in support of a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Xu, a former honorary chairwoman of the pro-Beijing Canadian Alliance of Chinese Associations, was banned from MP Joyce Murray’s WeChat group after using the platform to raise funds for a potential class action lawsuit against Global News.
Political parties are under constant pressure to raise money and follow Elections Canada regulations. While some political optics may be overlooked, Telford noted that parties face scrutiny when they are caught contradicting their principles or values.
In summary, Trudeau’s Liberal Party fundraiser in Vancouver drew a smaller crowd of supporters compared to previous events, indicating ongoing fundraising difficulties for the party. The Conservative Party continues to outpace the Liberals in fundraising efforts, with a more significant number of donors and stronger grassroots support. With Trudeau’s popularity at historic lows and the next election looming, the Liberals must find ways to regain momentum and engage their dispirited party members.
