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Time of India

Liberals unleash $3.86B in re-election cheques across Canada; Strategic spend or voter sway?

Liberal Members of Parliament (MPs) announced a staggering $3.86 billion in funding commitments across 411 projects nationwide in the week leading up to Canada's 45th general election on March 23, 2025. This pre-election spending surge, detailed in a Global News analysis, saw 38 Liberal MPs distributing cheques in 37 communities, from Yellowknife to St. John's. Notably, on March 22, the day before the election call, 26 MPs announced $1.8 billion for 116 projects. Major beneficiaries included Quebec's transit initiatives, with the Quebec City Tramway and Montreal's Blue Line extension receiving top-ups of $332.3 million and $650 million, respectively. In the week before the 2021 election, Liberals committed $3.03 billion to 495 projects. Similarly, ahead of the 2015 election, the Conservative government announced $2.7 billion across 430 projects. Over the 44th Parliament's four-year span, Liberal MPs announced 22,290 projects totaling over $110 billion. Of these, 9,834 projects worth $35.8 billion were in Liberal-held ridings, while Conservative ridings received $23.5 billion for 7,038 projects. NDP and Bloc Québécois ridings saw $7.27 billion and $10.7 billion, respectively. Live Events In Ontario, MP Terry Sheehan, facing a challenging re-election in the newly formed Sault Ste. Marie–Algoma riding, proactively announced funding in areas outside his previous jurisdiction. Sheehan visited communities like Wawa and Elliott Lake, announcing cheques totaling over $4.5 million. His efforts culminated in a narrow victory by 1,728 votes. In Alberta, MP George Chahal announced $8.3 million for 13 projects just before the campaign but lost his seat in Calgary McKnight. Similarly, despite $242.42 million invested in 267 projects in her Quebec riding, former minister Diane Lebouthillier was unseated by a Bloc Québécois challenger. While such pre-election spending is a recurring strategy, its effectiveness in securing electoral victories remains mixed.