Want to be an MP in Burnaby? Better start saving because you’re going to need six figures.
Candidates from two Burnaby ridings in last fall’s federal election have begun filing campaign return forms with Elections Canada, and the two winning MPs spent more than $100,000 on their campaigns.
Rookie Burnaby North-Seymour MP Terry Beech spent $129,730 on his winning campaign, while raising $123,252 in contributions, according to Elections Canada’s campaign finance summary.
However, the bulk of the contributions, $117,899, came as transfers from the Liberal Party.
Since the transfers are listed as coming from the party, it’s unclear who specifically contributed to Beech’s campaign.
But the forms do list where the Liberal MP spent his money during the election.
Besides paying for various campaign workers and office related expenses, the biggest ticket items were two payments totalling $26,656 to Mainstreet Technologies, a company listed as a voter contact calling service.
Neither the NDP candidate Carol Baird Ellan or Conservative candidate Mike Little have filed their campaign returns.
Beech won the riding with 36.1 per cent of the vote, or 18,928 votes.
The election expense limits for all candidates is $207,659.
Across town, Burnaby South NDP candidate Kennedy Stewart won his re-election campaign in a tight race, spending $180,599 on his victory.
The second term MP received the bulk of his contributions through transfers, totalling $214,296.
All of the transfers are listed as coming from the NDP, so it’s unclear who specifically contributed to Stewart’s campaign.
The forms also lists where Stewart spent his money, which include campaign workers and office related expenses. But he also made two payments totalling $15,000 to Strategic Communications, a voter contact calling service.
Stewart squeaked out a win on election night capturing 16,094 votes, which was just 547 more than the Liberal’s Adam Pankratz.
Neither Pankratz nor Conservative candidate Grace Seear have filed their election expenses.
