How much money does it take to oust a longtime incumbent politician?
Timmins MPP George Pirie's election campaign expenses are in. Along with significant contributions — totalling over $100,000 — the rookie MPP's victory party has the highest price tag in northern Ontario.
After sitting one term as Timmins' mayor, Pirie vacated that seat to run as the local Progressive Conservative candidate in the June 2022 Ontario election. He won, ousting Gilles Bisson, who represented the riding for more than 30 years as an NDP.
SEE: People pick Pirie, Timmins turns Tory
Since winning the election, Pirie has been named the new Minister of Mines.
The tab for Pirie's victory party was $23,018,14, according to the Elections Ontario financial disclosure for the campaign. It includes two room rentals — the Lions Club for $2,400 and Dante Club, which also includes catering, for $2,850. Post writ catering by Sol Tainui cost $13,700 and Bailey Whissell Productions picked up $4,068 for AV and video.
Bisson's election night party was held at Full Beard Brewing and cost $1,657.86.
In a statement, Pirie said the total is for two separate events.
The Dante Club event was held on election night, with over 200 people joining him to watch the election results and ultimately celebrate the win.
"The second event was a volunteer appreciation dinner for over 200 volunteers at the Schumacher Lions Club to recognize their contributions throughout the campaign and in recognition of the work it took for a historic victory defeating a 31-year incumbent," said Pirie in the statement.
Of the elected politicians in northeastern Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie's Ross Romano had the next highest victory party cost at $4,958.
For the 2022 campaign, Pirie raised $104,380 in contributions while Bisson raised $4,472. In the 2018 election campaign, the local PC candidate had $18,313 in contributions.
The list of people who contributed to Pirie's campaign is available here. Bisson's contributions can be found here. The public disclosure includes contributions of over $200 from a single source,
