Conservative campaign database fiasco costs party millions
The Conservative Party of Canada has scrapped a multi-million dollar database paid for by money raised through supporter contributions.
At least $7-million and perhaps as much as $9-million was used to pay for a database the Conservative Party was developing to track its supporters and donors.
The party is now reverting to its old system, the Constituent Information Management System or CIMS. That program is being rolled back out to MPs and riding associations over the next few months, starting with the four ridings facing November by-elections, according to a memo sent by the party’s acting executive director.
The larger concern for the Conservatives is what kind of impact this might have on future fundraising efforts
As PunditsGuide noted back in January, what was a $7-million gap between the Conservatives and the cumulative Liberal/NDP fundraising totals in 2010 narrowed to under $2-million last year. The number of Conservative donors also shrunk, during a period where the Liberals increased their donor base by 37%, and the NDP by 91%. The CPC is still ahead, and their fundraising efforts have been strong so far in 2013 – but the gap is narrowing.
That means less money for television ads, though the failure of this spring’s “Justin Trudeau is too sexy to be PM” campaign further casts doubts on how effectively funds are being spent. Perhaps that ad campaign did plant seeds of doubt about Trudeau that won’t germinate for a year or two, but has been far less immediate or devastating that “Just Visiting” or “Not a Leader.”
These setbacks aren’t nearly as riveting as a Mike Duffy press conference, but they represent far more ominous signs that the Tories are in for a rough ride in 2015.
Dan Arnold: Tory database fiasco may do more damage than Duffy disaster
The Conservative Party of Canada has scrapped a multi-million dollar database paid for by money raised through supporter contributions.
At least $7-million and perhaps as much as $9-million was used to pay for a database the Conservative Party was developing to track its supporters and donors.
The party is now reverting to its old system, the Constituent Information Management System or CIMS. That program is being rolled back out to MPs and riding associations over the next few months, starting with the four ridings facing November by-elections, according to a memo sent by the party’s acting executive director.
The larger concern for the Conservatives is what kind of impact this might have on future fundraising efforts
As PunditsGuide noted back in January, what was a $7-million gap between the Conservatives and the cumulative Liberal/NDP fundraising totals in 2010 narrowed to under $2-million last year. The number of Conservative donors also shrunk, during a period where the Liberals increased their donor base by 37%, and the NDP by 91%. The CPC is still ahead, and their fundraising efforts have been strong so far in 2013 – but the gap is narrowing.
That means less money for television ads, though the failure of this spring’s “Justin Trudeau is too sexy to be PM” campaign further casts doubts on how effectively funds are being spent. Perhaps that ad campaign did plant seeds of doubt about Trudeau that won’t germinate for a year or two, but has been far less immediate or devastating that “Just Visiting” or “Not a Leader.”
These setbacks aren’t nearly as riveting as a Mike Duffy press conference, but they represent far more ominous signs that the Tories are in for a rough ride in 2015.
Dan Arnold: Tory database fiasco may do more damage than Duffy disaster
