Alberta Tories drop to last place in fundraising among major parties

Image | Ric McIver 2014

Caption: Ric McIver became interim leader of the Alberta PC party after Jim Prentice stepped down the night of the provincial election. (CBC)

The Alberta Progressive Conservative Party came last in fundraising among the four major parties in Alberta during the third quarter, the first report under new political fundraising rules.
The Conservatives, reduced to nine seats in the May election, raised only $15,575 between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2015, compared to $259,636 in the previous quarter.
The Wildrose Party led the third quarter fundraising with $263,676 in donations.
The Alberta NDP raised $82,745, after ending the 44-year Conservative grip on power by winning a majority government. This is a drop from the $269,356 raised in the previous quarter.
The Alberta Liberals received $29,286 in donations.
This is the first quarter to reflect new fundraising rules prohibiting corporations and unions from donating to Alberta political parties.
The Alberta PCs long relied on donations from corporations to fund their political campaigns.
The new rules took effect June 15.