Angry in the Great White North

Liberal Party candidate Linda Schwey is planning to go green in a big way for the next election, whenever that happens to be:

An estimated 30 people attended a fund-raising brunch organized by Chateauguay -St. Constant riding federal Liberal candidate Linda Schwey on May 4 at the Chateauguay Maison des Jeunes.

Making hay out of the environment issue, Schwey distributed a packet of pine-tree seeds to each guest.

Word has it that she is planning to hand out 37,000 of these pouches during the door-to-door election campaign she is getting ready to launch.

Among the special guests present at the brunch were Senator Celine Hervieux-Payette and Liberal MP Denis Coderre.

Wow. 

37,000 packets.

37,000!

I've been checking around.  A packet of pine-tree seeds goes for about $4 if bought in bulk.  The "progressive" website Northern Sun sells pine seeds at $3.50 a packet.

Maybe she can get them at a discount, but she has to be careful.  If she gets these packets at a buck each below market cost, that would count as a $37,000 donation, well in excess of the $1,100 limit.  Oh, and of course illegal if the donation is counted as coming from a corporation.

I'm assuming she's not spending extra to put the Liberal logo and her name on every packet.

With just over 82,000 voters, the spending limit for the riding of Chateauguay--St. Constant is just shy of $72,000, which is average for a riding.

So even if she can get the packets for a toonie each, Schwey will have blown her spending budget twice over.

I must be missing something here.

Update: And I am missing something here. Apparently seeds can be purchased for as little as $50 in these quantities. Obviously I can't be trusted with the shopping.