Ruh-roh.
As if the federal NDP getting smoked by the Green Party in the May federal byelection wasn’t bad enough – now Burnaby South MP Jagmeet Singh’s party is lagging in fourth place when it comes to fundraising.
The latest numbers show the federal Greens raised a few thousand more dollars than the NDP - $1,437,722 to $1,433, 476 – according to Elections Canada’s second-quarter numbers released this week. The NDP had a few hundred extra donors than the Greens.
That is not a lot more, of course, but it’s an 83-per-cent jump in donations for the Greens, who are surging just as the election is getting closer.
The NDP did raise about $200,000 more than the last quarter, but this is alarming news for a party struggling to gain any momentum. It’s still mired in third place in most polls, although some have the Greens ahead slightly nationally. (That's if you put any stock in polls.)
And money matters. You need a ton of it heading into an election campaign.
There was a controversy in June after the Huffington Post reported on Singh's fundraising activities and the lack of paid events he's attended in 2019. The party has tried to explain it away by saying they don't sell access to their leader. That might be true, but is it a sensible strategy during desperate times?
There is also the perception that the Greens are overtaking the NDP. That might not be the case on election day, but Singh – as leader – has got to do something soon to turn things around.
