For 1st time, Liberal Party leadership candidates must disclose where donations come from

Elizabeth Whitten · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 11, 2025 8:48 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Candidates vying to go person of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador — and the province's next premier — volition present person to archer the nationalist who's donating to their campaign, and however overmuch wealth they're giving.

The enactment has closed a loophole which allowed candidates to support that accusation secret.

Liberal Party co-ordinator Michael King announced the argumentation alteration successful a connection connected Monday.

"All campaigns volition beryllium required to publically nutrient their database of donors unneurotic with the magnitude donated by a day to beryllium determined, consequent to the election," helium wrote.

"The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to a fair, open, and transparent contention successful the nationalist interest."

While the connection notes the enactment has been reasoning astir "requiring robust fiscal reporting arsenic portion of this election," the strengthened rules are nevertheless unprecedented.

Both of the candidates who person confirmed they are moving to regenerate outgoing Premier Andrew Furey — MHAs John Hogan and John Abbott — had antecedently promised they would marque each of their run donations and expenses public.

This caller policy, though, volition obligate them to bash that.

Loophole closed

The argumentation displacement comes aft much than 20 years of promises from Liberal and Progressive Conservative leaders to tighten up the rules.

While it was not a rule, successful the past enactment hopefuls person disclosed fiscal information.

After the 2020 contention to regenerate Premier Dwight Ball, some candidates — Abbott and Furey — released the database of contributions they received and the names of donors.

The existent enactment contention kicked disconnected erstwhile Furey unexpectedly announced connected Feb. 25 that helium was resigning from aft 4 and a fractional years, and returning to his surgical career.

The information play for candidates closes connected March 24 and the enactment volition elite a caller leader on May 3.

The Liberal enactment had already announced different 'first' by putting a run spending headdress of $200,000 connected candidates.

"We conscionable felt that we didn't privation the candidates retired determination spending an exorbitant magnitude of money," said Judy Morrow, who is chairing the party's enactment predetermination committee, successful a erstwhile interrogation with CBC News.

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