Running in the first available by-election (though impossible to win) and taking a salary does not mean that he is a bad actor. Personally I think his salary for this year is too high. But compared to the rest of the numbers, it is not outrageous.
Here is the financial report for the PPC.
In summary:
Revenues
Between August 2018 and January 2019, the Official Agent raised $663,644 in donations and membership fees, while in 2019, the Party raised $2,011,244 from these sources, for a total of $2,674,888. After expenses incurred in 2018, the Official Agent’s remaining surplus of $331,265 was transferred to the Party in 2019.
Salaries and professional fees
The Official Agent did not pay for any permanent employees during its five months of operations. It paid $100,890 in professional fees to contract workers and service providers. In 2019, the Party paid $525,415 in salaries and benefits. For most of that year the Party’s staff was comprised of ten part-time and full-time employees. The Party also paid $69,970 in professional fees.
The staff was reduced to four full-time employees at the end of 2019, after the October 2019 elections. Two more were hired in August 2020 in preparation for a possible snap election in the coming months.
The leader, Maxime Bernier, did not receive any salary or compensation from the Party in 2018 and 2019, as he was receiving a salary as a Member of Parliament. Mr. Bernier only started receiving a salary at the beginning of this year. His salary will be $104,000 in 2020.
Salaries were temporarily reduced by 20% after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 as a precautionary measure to save money during uncertain times.
Lawyer fees
The Party spent $153,946 in legal fees in 2019 to defend itself in various lawsuits launched against it, including one by a man who claimed ownership of the Party’s registered name. We either won these lawsuits or they were abandoned. The costs of the current defamation lawsuit against Warren Kinsella are not paid by the Party but by Mr. Bernier himself.
Various expenses
During 2018 and 2019, the Official Agent and the Party spent in total the following amounts on:
-Advertising for radio and television = $289,246 -Advertising for social media = $152,829 -Supporter rallies = $219,975 -August 2019 National Convention = $63,258 -Travel by Mr. Bernier and staff members = $166,996 -Office supply = $62,254 -Database = $51,837 -Telecommunications = $5,329 -Interest and bank charges = $75,045 -Rent = $30,861
Surplus
The Party manages its finances in a responsible manner and did not borrow any money to run its election campaign in the fall of 2019. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we finished the year 2019 with $461,752 in cash and cash equivalents, $250,000 of which is held in term deposits. This will serve as a cushion in case a snap election is called in the coming months.
Running in the first available by-election (though impossible to win) and taking a salary does not mean that he is a bad actor. Personally I think his salary for this year is too high. But compared to the rest of the numbers, it is not outrageous.
Here is the financial report for the PPC.
In summary:
Revenues
Between August 2018 and January 2019, the Official Agent raised $663,644 in donations and membership fees, while in 2019, the Party raised $2,011,244 from these sources, for a total of $2,674,888. After expenses incurred in 2018, the Official Agent’s remaining surplus of $331,265 was transferred to the Party in 2019.
Salaries and professional fees
The Official Agent did not pay for any permanent employees during its five months of operations. It paid $100,890 in professional fees to contract workers and service providers. In 2019, the Party paid $525,415 in salaries and benefits. For most of that year the Party’s staff was comprised of ten part-time and full-time employees. The Party also paid $69,970 in professional fees.
The staff was reduced to four full-time employees at the end of 2019, after the October 2019 elections. Two more were hired in August 2020 in preparation for a possible snap election in the coming months.
The leader, Maxime Bernier, did not receive any salary or compensation from the Party in 2018 and 2019, as he was receiving a salary as a Member of Parliament. Mr. Bernier only started receiving a salary at the beginning of this year. His salary will be $104,000 in 2020.
Salaries were temporarily reduced by 20% after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 as a precautionary measure to save money during uncertain times.
Lawyer fees
The Party spent $153,946 in legal fees in 2019 to defend itself in various lawsuits launched against it, including one by a man who claimed ownership of the Party’s registered name. We either won these lawsuits or they were abandoned. The costs of the current defamation lawsuit against Warren Kinsella are not paid by the Party but by Mr. Bernier himself.
Various expenses
During 2018 and 2019, the Official Agent and the Party spent in total the following amounts on:
-Advertising for radio and television = $289,246 -Advertising for social media = $152,829 -Supporter rallies = $219,975 -August 2019 National Convention = $63,258 -Travel by Mr. Bernier and staff members = $166,996 -Office supply = $62,254 -Database = $51,837 -Telecommunications = $5,329 -Interest and bank charges = $75,045 -Rent = $30,861
Note that following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to reduce costs during these uncertain times, the Party closed its Gatineau office in June 2020. All staff have been working remotely since then. The Party will likely reopen an office when the need arises before the next election.