Staffers set up on Thursday as the Conservative Party holds a convention in the wake of its April, 2025 election loss, a day before party members vote on the future of leader Pierre Poilievre in Calgary.Jennifer Gauthier/Reuters
The head of the Conservative Party’s powerful fundraising arm stressed Leader Pierre Poilievre’s role in raking in millions of dollars as delegates prepared to vote Friday on whether he should remain as leader.
Robert Staley, the chair of what’s known as the Conservative Fund, also says the party’s war chest is full enough to fight an election at any time.
The update from the Conservative Fund – a mandatory element of the Conservative convention – also provided a glimpse into how the party raises money and how those operations have shifted over time.
But Mr. Staley said Mr. Poilievre is the most important part of that, and the fundraisers he does across the country are the most lucrative.
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He said the party’s best fundraising years were 2023, 2024 and 2025.
“What do all of those fundraising years have in common? What they have in common is the guy who leads our party, Pierre Poilievre.”
Mr. Poilievre was elected leader of the party in the fall of 2022.
Later Friday, delegates to the party’s convention will vote on whether he should retain that job, as Conservatives didn’t win the April election.
The vote is mandated under the party’s constitution.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday.Patrick Doyle/Reuters
Mr. Staley told delegates at an early-morning session that the party raised $48-million in 2025.
That was up from $41.7-million in 2024 and $35-million in 2023.
Mr. Staley said the party’s cost-per-dollar raised has also declined, to 19 cents per dollar last year from about 30 cents per dollar in 2022.
He said the party achieved that by scaling back on direct mail and telephone calls soliciting donations and a new billing model with phone vendors.
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The Conservatives also began raising money by reaching out to people on their mobile phones, which has helped with voter identification, he said.
In addition, the party’s digital team has moved swiftly to turn around clips from the House of Commons in real time, Mr. Staley said, and those are also used for fundraisers.
Mr. Poilievre is integral to it all, Mr. Staley said.
“He is our best and most important fundraiser. It is his willingness to attend fundraisers, his willingness to engage with people, his willingness to basically create content for us which we can repackage,” Mr. Staley said.
“All of those things are important to us in achieving the results we have achieved.”
The Conservatives have long outpaced their political rivals in fundraising.
The Liberals announced earlier this month than 2025 had been their best year on record, raising $29-million.
“Wow, congratulations,” Mr. Staley said.
“That would not make our top five.”
Mr. Staley said the party had not yet paid down the loan it took out to underwrite its election expenses last year but anticipates doing so this year.
The party is also anticipating a fundraising drop in 2026, Mr. Staley said as it is not considered an election year.
The bulk of the business at the party’s convention on Friday is delegates debating potential amendments to party policy and its constitution.
Later in the day, Mr. Poilievre will deliver a speech to delegates ahead of their vote on his leadership.
The speakers at the convention thus far – besides Mr. Staley, several MPs have addressed the crowd – have all sought to make the case that Mr. Poilievre should remain.
“When you go mark your ballots on this leadership review, let’s say yes to affordable groceries, yes to a united Canada and yes to a united Conservative Party led by Pierre Poilievre,” said MP Costas Menegakis in a morning speech.
The party said there are more than 2,500 delegates at the convention.