Penashue top election spender
Successful Conservative candidate outspent Liberal opponent more than three to one
CBC News
Posted: Dec 18, 2011 10:55 AM NT
Last Updated: Dec 18, 2011 10:52 AM NT
Peter Penashue, right, narrowly defeated Liberal Todd Russell the May 2011 federal election. (CBC )
Labrador MP Peter Penashue was the biggest spender of all candidates in the province during the May 2011 federal election, financial records show.
Penashue — who outspent his Liberal opponent more than three to one — says he received significant support from outside the province because the Conservatives thought he had a chance to break through in the longtime Liberal stronghold.
"They believed that I could win the election in Labrador, and of course I was able to deliver," he said.
They turned out to be right. Penashue eked out a win over the Liberal incumbent, Todd Russell, by 79 votes.
In total, Penashue spent more than $115,000 on his successful election bid. Russell spent just over $37,000.
More than half of Penashue's cash outlay — just under $60,000 — went towards advertising.
Penashue received $25,000 in transfers from the Conservative Party, and took out a $25,000 interest-free loan from the Innu Development Limited Partnership.
The IDLP is the business development arm of the two Innu communities in Labrador, Sheshatshiu and Natuashish.
"I couldn't get the money from the bank," he said when asked the reason for that loan.
According to his filings with Elections Canada, Penashue has made a $10,000 repayment on the loan.
Penashue was the sole Conservative elected in the province. He was appointed to cabinet as minister of intergovernmental affairs.
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