Angry in the Great White North

The Liberals have always insisted that when it came to fighting an election, there would be no problems.  Taxpayers would be compelled to foot the bill for the Liberal Party:

Though millions of dollars behind the Conservatives in donations, federal Liberals say they are in solid shape to pay for a possible election campaign, thanks in part to public financing for political parties.

"The structure is there, we know what the time lines are and we just need to be given an indication and away we go," Greg Fergus, the party's new national director, said in an interview yesterday.

He said the party, a $30-million-a-year institution, is operating with a surplus and has lined up the $18-million -- part cash and part loans -- it would be allowed to spend on a campaign.

That was back in November.  Suddenly the Liberals need money.  Greg Fergus who a few months ago said that the money was there, has sent an email out pleading with Liberal supporters to hand over money.  Why?  Because the Conservatives are ahead, and that gives them an advantage:

We need your help. A federal election could come at any time and we must be ready.

Today, our Leader, Stephane Dion, launched the Victory Fund, an innovative new fundraising initiative created as a means for all Liberals to participate in an inexpensive and meaningful way to finance Liberal victories at both the riding and the national level.

With an election on the horizon, our capacity to communicate our message is critical.  New financing rules introduced by the Conservatives were designed to capitalize on the grassroots network they inherited from their Reform Party predecessors; due to this historical strength, Harper’s Conservative’s raised almost four times as much as the Liberal Party in 2007.  If we are to compete on a level playing field in the next election, we need to develop similar commitment from our supporters. 

If we all pitch in, it won’t take much to make a big difference.  Your contribution of as little as $10 per month – shared equally between your riding association and the Liberal Party of Canada – will make this happen.  In fact, after your year-end tax credit, your monthly contribution will be equivalent to just $2.50 per month!

Working together to build the Victory Fund, we can close the fundraising gap, build a stronger Liberal Party and be ready to take on Stephen Harper and the Conservatives.

Is Greg Fergus is contradicting himself? 

In November, money was not an issue.  The playing field would be level.  The Liberals could spend up to the limit.  The Tory lead in fundraising was not a significant factor.

And now?  Well, what has happened is that six months have gone by, and Stephane Dion has scurried away from multiple opportunities for an election.  It looks like another six months will go buy before there is another chance for an election.

At least.

In the time that has passed, and the time that will pass, the Conservatives can spend their money on advertising without worrying about limits.  The Liberals are, on the other hand, broke.

Or close enough to broke to send out this rather desperate plea.

Stephane Dion is too afraid to force an election, and yet he can't afford to wait, as is evidenced by this email.  Greg Fergus and the rest of the Liberal Party must now work even harder to keep the Liberal Party afloat while weeks and months pass.  At some point there will be an election, or the Stephane Dion problem will be solved in some other fashion.

The Victory Fund?  Is this what Garth Turner was hinting at?  The secret plan that would turn the financial fortunes of the Liberal Party around?

The Liberal fund-raising machine is essentially volunteer and relies on local riding associations to do the heavy lifting. The database is puny and the efforts to aggressively expand it are less than impressive. That any money at all was raised kinda surprises me.

The bad news for Conservatives is that this is going to change. Trust me.

I think it is.  The Victory Fund has a big online component to it.  Online stuff is Garth Turner's thing:

Victory Fund supporters will be invited to participate in 120 hours (each year) of live online dialogues with senior members of the Liberal caucus and other key party figures. In addition, at the upcoming biennial convention, there will be a Victory Fund reception area, lounge and preferred seating. 

Live online dialogues with senior members?  OK, first thing, unless there is a webcam set up, there is no proof you are talking to a senior Liberal, or any Liberal at all.

And second, I wonder how many senior Liberals would be willing to submit themselves to this sort of dog-and-pony show.

I have a feeling that Victory Fund donors might find themselves stuck with an online dialogue with Garth Turner. (Hey, I want my money back!)

Addendum: I wonder how the Victory Fund gimmick (with online dialogues) will fare against the Friends of Michael Ignatieff fundraising gimmick (with signed books and a gold pin).