Tories biggest spenders in Brandon races

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This article was published 25/03/2024 (907 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Westman Progressive Conservatives spent more than double what other parties spent combined during a campaign that saw them retain two of their three Brandon constituencies in last October’s election.

According to candidate expense forms posted on Elections Manitoba’s website, the Tory candidates in Brandon West, Brandon East and Spruce Woods spent a combined $132,279.03. By comparison, the Manitoba NDP spent just $43,905.11 in the same constituencies. In the two constituencies in which the Manitoba Liberals ran candidates, Brandon East and Spruce Woods, they spent a total of $14,645.

Regardless of the dollars attached to their campaigns, each successful candidate or their representative said it was hard work that put them in the legislature — they say it was time spent talking to constituents, not cash spent on campaigns, that made the difference.

In a phone interview last Friday, Glen Simard — who unseated incumbent PC MLA Len Isleifson in Brandon East even though Isleifson outspent him — put his victory down to his campaign’s approach.

“Basically, what it came down to was hard work, having a strong campaign,” Simard said.

“We had a slew of people who were out helping every day, multiple teams out there knocking on doors. Although it was less than our opponent, we were spending our time reading and talking with people, which I think is the most important part of an election campaign.”

Reached by email for comment on their election spending in Brandon, a spokesperson for the Tories said the party was “proud to run three well-qualified and respected candidates in their Brandon communities, and their efforts to connect with constituents to get out the vote. MLAs (Wayne) Balcaen and (Grant) Jackson are proud to represent Brandon and surrounding communities.”

But for the record, here’s the breakdown of who spent what.

If you divide the number of votes by the amount spent across the three Brandon constituencies — Brandon East, Brandon West and Spruce Woods — the Progressive Conservatives spent $11.51 per vote received, the NDP $7.71 per vote and the Liberals $10.10 per vote.

BRANDON WEST

Brandon West saw the greatest gulf in spending between candidates.

The lone Green Party candidate in Brandon, Bill Marsh in Brandon West, reported no campaign expenses at all.

In his successful bid to replace retiring Reg Helwer, former Brandon Police Service chief Wayne Balcaen reported $58,037 in expenses. Balcaen’s campaign received $33,000 in funds from the PC constituency association in Brandon West and $24,200 in campaign donations.

His expense report lists all donations he received worth $250 or more. Donors included Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Larry Maguire ($500), outgoing MLA Helwer ($1,500), former Brandon mayor, MLA and MP Rick Borotsik ($300), Mazergroup CEO Robert Mazer ($500) and former Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Merv Tweed ($250)

The runner-up for the NDP, Quentin Robinson, reported just $6,265.23 in expenses but received just 89 votes fewer than Balcaen.

The NDP do not allow supporters to donate directly to candidates in specific ridings, instead collecting donations centrally and then disbursing them to candidates.

Parties are required to file overall election finance reports with Elections Manitoba within four months of election day, but both the NDP and PCs have received extensions and neither has been posted online yet.

Robinson’s expense report states that his campaign received $4,880 in contributions from the Brandon West constituency association and $3,514 in transfers from the party.

BRANDON EAST

In Brandon East, outgoing Isleifson outspent Simard by approximately $14,000, with Isleifson reporting $49,713 in expenses compared to $35,703.88 for Simard. Liberal candidate Trenton Zazalak reported expenses totaling $175.

The Tories collected $15,160 in donations in Brandon East, with donors including Maguire ($1,000) and Sunrise Credit Union CEO Tim Klassen ($1,000). The party also transferred $12,500 to Isleifson’s campaign, with its constituency association providing another $13,800.

By comparison, Simard received $13,011.64 from the NDP and $16,630 from the constituency association. With a total of $29,641.64 in revenue, Simard’s campaign posted a $6,062.24 deficit.

SPRUCE WOODS

In Spruce Woods, PC victor Grant Jackson spent the most in his bid to succeed Cliff Cullen at $24,528.44, but the second-highest spender was Liberal candidate Michelle Budiwski at $14,470.45.

NDP candidate Melissa Ghidoni, who did not actively campaign, reported just $168 in promotional expenses.

Jackson received a whopping $32,100 in donations, along with a $2,000 transfer from his constituency association.

His donors included Maguire ($1,000), Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa Conservative MP Dan Mazier ($400), former Brandon mayor Reg Atkinson ($300) and former Riverdale Municipality Reeve Todd Gill ($250)

Budiwski received $8,300 in donations, a $2,601.50 contribution from her party and earned $110 through fundraising. One of Budiwski’s donations was a $2,400 contribution from herself.

Simard, now the NDP’s minister of sport, culture and heritage, noted that while his campaign spent less than the Tories did in Brandon East, it was more than the NDP had spent in previous elections.

The expense report for Lonnie Patterson’s unsuccessful bid to defeat Isleifson in the 2019 election listed $20,437.91 in expenses. Isleifson spent $49,609.37 that year.

When former NDP cabinet minister Drew Caldwell lost Brandon East in 2016, his campaign spent $13,181.20, compared to Isleifson’s $57,166.98 in expenses.

With Robinson having spent almost $52,000 fewer in Brandon West than Balcaen during the latest election, Simard said he didn’t think it would hurt for the NDP to put more resources into the constituency next time around.

However, he attributed Robinson’s narrow loss despite the lower spending to his campaign following a similar work ethic to his own and both men having a history of community service.

Simard also credited his constituency association for having resources on hand to help him get a healthy start in campaigning when he won the NDP nomination in Brandon East back in March 2022.

Heading into the 2026 election, Simard said the most important thing he’s learned is to keep working hard as MLA even after the campaigning starts.

“You need to work hard,” he said. “You need to be authentic and you need to learn about what matter to people and try to act on that as best you can.”

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