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Sparrow wins council seat on the cheap

Langley Township candidates disclose campaign contributors and spending details.
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Michelle Sparrow

A review of the election finance reports filed by eight winners and three ousted incumbents in the November municipal elections in Langley Township shows that spending more money didn’t always guarantee the outcome, with low-spending candidates edging out those with better-funded campaigns.

For example, incumbent councillor Bev Dornan, who had the third-biggest budget, was defeated, while incumbent Michelle Sparrow, who spent the least, won re-election.

The campaign finance disclosure documents are now posted online at the Elections BC website.

Two Langley Township candidates had no money besides their own backing their campaigns.

Sparrow spent just $1,664.37 of her own funds to win a second term on council.

Her disclosure report lists no other contributors other than “Michelle and Jordan Sparrow.”

Incumbent David Davis was the other candidate who self-funded his campaign, spending $7,219.

Other candidates reported a mix of corporate and individual donations.

Defeated incumbent Steve Ferguson reported the highest percentage of donations from “corporations” as defined under the Elections Act: $12,603 of $15,653 or 81 per cent.

Successful newcomer Angie Quaale had the highest dollar amount from corporations, $18,476.79, around half of the contributions she received.

Quaale spent more than any other non-mayoral candidate, $41,162.09.

Of the other two newcomers, Blair Whitmarsh spent $37,384.29 and Petrina Arnason spent $11,898.77.

Arnason reported the lowest percentage of donations from business or corporate supporters, just one contribution of $250 from Grants Landing Liveaboard and Floathome Service or less than four per cent of her total.

The lone slate involved in the race, Live Langley, spent $22,861.35 in a vain attempt to elect Clint Lee and Kerri Ross to council. The largest contributor, other than Lee and Ross, was Angela Gedye, who donated $1,500.

Lee put $6,300 into the campaign, while Ross contributed $8,931.80. Lee finished 11th out of 22 candidates, while Ross came in 13th.

Winners ranked from least to greatest spending:

1. Michelle Sparrow spent $1,664.37.  Self-financed.

2. David Davis spent $7,219.00. Self-financed.

3. Bob Long spent $10,430.83. Biggest donors were tied between BC Maritime Employers Assn. and Sandhill Homes Ltd., contributing $1,000 each.

4. Petrina Arnason spent $11,898.77. Biggest donors were a tie between two individuals: Angela Gedye, $1,000 and Diane Morrison, $1,000 (in-kind).

5. Kim Richter spent $14,625.05. Biggest donor listed as “Kim and Bob Richter” with a contribution of $8,724.48.

6. Charlie Fox spent $22,845.83. Biggest donor was Phil Jackman, who donated $2,300.

7. Blair Whitmarsh spent $37,384.29. Biggest donor was Rec Excellence which contributed $6,158.

8. Angie Quaale spent $41,162.09. Biggest contributor was her own company, Well Seasoned Gourmet Foods Ltd. which donated $2,408.93.

Ousted incumbents

1. Steve Ferguson spent $15,653.00. His biggest contributors (a tie) were A-Class Electric and Avtar Johal, who each contributed $2,500 each.

2. Grant Ward spent $27,208.60. His top two donors each contributed $1,000: Amarjit Sandhu and Central Langley Investments Ltd.

3. Bev Dornan spent $36,041.63. Three donors tied for top place, each contributing $1,000: Aldergrove Investment Ltd., Integrated Pest Supplies and SSB Homes Ltd.

Mayoralty race

1. Jack Froese spent $99,690.82. His biggest donor was Valley Traffic Systems Inc., which gave $3,734.

2. Rick Green spent $44,025. His biggest donor was Stan Scheves, who contributed $8,000. The Green disclosure documents also report another donation of $5,000 by an “S. Scheves.”

3. Serena Oh reported spending nothing on her campaign.

Complete details on all campaign spending is available on the Elections BC website, at http://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs

— with files from Frank Bucholtz



Dan Ferguson

About the Author: Dan Ferguson

Best recognized for my resemblance to St. Nick, I’m the guy you’ll often see out at community events and happenings around town.
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