The P.E.I. Progressive Conservative party won the last provincial election despite being outspent almost 2-to-1 by the Liberals.
In a report to PC members during the party’s annual general meeting on Saturday, party treasurer Ryan Pineau said the party spent a total of $445,505 on last spring’s election.
Earlier that day, Liberal Party of P.E.I. treasurer Neil Handrahan told a meeting of Liberal members that his party spent $830,000 on the provincial election.
This was $384,495, or 86 per cent, more than the PCs.
The PCs took in almost $84,000 less than the Liberals in donations in the lead-up to the April 23 vote, drawing in $196,015.
The party took out $325,000 in loans, higher than the Liberals $290,000 in election-related loans.
The PCs managed to capture more than twice as many seats as the incumbent Liberals. The Greens, who captured eight seats, have yet to release details on their spending during last spring’s election.
Pineau said the PC party emerged from the 2019 election with a net loss of $154,000. The party’s current debt load stands at around $400,000.
“In an election year to have a loss of $154,000 is absolutely incredible.
That excites me," Pineau told about 60 members gathered at the Delta Prince Edward on Saturday.
PC executives were understandably upbeat about the party’s fortunes in 2019.
One year ago, the party’s future seemed uncertain after the resignation of leader James Aylward. A path to election victory was not apparent to many election-watchers.
A leadership contest generated a groundswell in membership sign-ups and galvanized the party’s base around new leader Dennis King.
In the run-up to the election, candidate nomination contests in some districts drew more than 400 people.
On Saturday King thanked members of the party’s executive during a speech, and also thanked party members.
"You are the backbone of what we do. You're the conscience of who we are," King said.
King also noted that his party was viewed as an underdog by many prior to April.
“We didn't listen to those people who said we couldn't do it,” King said.
“We put people first, we forged ahead, we thought and hoped and knew that the leadership would be a runway into the election and that's exactly what it was.”
King said the PCs have had success in government, notably passing a throne speech and budget with support from both opposition Liberals and Greens.
He credited the opposition parties for working with government.
"We do have a tremendous amount of collaboration with the other two elected parties in this legislature," King said.
"That's who we are as Islanders. We're all in this together. We're not big enough to be separated and divided by silly, small, partisan issues."
