OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives raised a record amount of money last year, far more than all the other parties put together, say figures released Monday.
The $21.2 million raked in by the new Tories in 2008 was their highest total ever and was the most raised by any party since the introduction of stricter fundraising laws.
Their total easily outpaced the $5.9 million in donations to the Liberals, the $5.45 million raised by the NDP, $1.6 million by the Green party, and $713,000 by the Bloc Quebecois.
The cash-stuffed Conservative treasury has allowed for more staff, larger offices, more TV ads, and a campaign war room that operates year-round, even between elections.
"The Conservative party has demonstrated that it is the biggest, broadest and most national of all of the federal parties," Tory spokesman Ryan Sparrow said in a statement.
It's not clear how much of an impact -- if any -- December's political crisis had on fundraising efforts.
While the Tories have said that talk of an opposition coalition prompted an unprecedented flood of donations, only the Liberals actually saw their revenues increase in the final months of 2008.
Liberal contributions jumped 23 per cent in the fourth quarter, to $2.3 million from $1.9 million over the previous three months. Tory donations decreased by a negligible amount, to $6.34 million in the final quarter from $6.37 million over the previous quarter.
The end-of-year period coincided with the arrival of new Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. Addressing the chronic Liberal fundraising disadvantage has become one of his most pressing priorities.
The Liberals traditionally relied on a small number of wealthy individuals and businesses for big donations -- a tactic rendered obsolete by tougher fundraising laws.
Changes to political-financing laws from 2003 to 2006 steadily lowered the contribution limit to $1,100 a year for individuals, and banned corporate donations altogether.
The Tories have been particularly adept at attracting small donations from a large pool of donors and 174,000 people gave them money last year.
Only 52,500 gave to the Liberals, fewer than the 62,000 who sent cheques to the NDP.
But the man hired by Ignatieff to overhaul the Liberals' fundraising machine boldly predicted a turnaround in 2009.
Rocco Rossi was brought in as the party's national director last week, after earning a reputation as an innovative fundraiser at Ontario's Heart and Stroke Foundation.
He says the need for technical improvements -- an expanded supporters' database and new fundraising methods -- are only part of his challenge.
Keeping Liberal supporters motivated, and involved is just as important, Rossi said.
He said years of leadership infighting have distracted people, while the sponsorship scandal sapped morale.
Pointing to Barack Obama's massive Internet fundraising operation, Rossi argued that Obama's success had as much to do with the enthusiasm of his supporters as with the technical quality of his website.
Rossi predicted that events since the last election -- the arrival of a new Liberal leader and controversy over the Tory fiscal update -- will stoke Liberal enthusiasm and sap Conservative momentum.
"The past is the past," he said of 2008 results.
"I expect with a revitalized party, with genuine excitement around the leader, and with a revulsion at what the Conservatives had tried to do, we are going to have a record year in 2009."
