The top two vote-getters in the South Surrey-White Rock riding spent $8,100 combined on Facebook advertising in the month-long run up to Monday’s federal election.
According to Facebook’s own advertising spending tracker, Conservative candidate Kerry-Lynne Findlay – who appears poised to hold the riding after finishing first before mail-in votes are tabulated – spent $1,900 on Facebook ads between Aug. 22 and Sept. 20, while Liberal candidate Gordie Hogg spent $6,200 over the same period of time.
Neither NDP candidate June Liu, who finished third in the voting, nor PPC candidate Gary Jensen, appear in Facebook’s spending tracker, suggesting they did not purchase any ads.
Findlay – who first won the seat in 2019, narrowly defeating Hogg – garnered 22,545 votes (42.7 per cent), compared to 20,324 votes (38.5 per cent) for Hogg. Liu received 7, 821 votes (14.8 per cent) and Jensen got 2,105 (four per cent).
Nationally, Facebook’s tracker shows that the Liberal Party of Canada – which, led by Prime Minister-elect Justin Trudeau, won Monday’s election – spend $2.2 million dollars advertising on the popular social-media website, while the Conservatives spent $2 million in total. The NDP spent $1.7 million while the People’s Party of Canada spent $60,400 and the Green Party of Canada spent $6,000. The Quebec-based Bloc Quebecois, meanwhile, spent $139,000.
These advertising expenditures – which are self-reported by Facebook – do not include other advertising costs through media such as newspapers, radio or signage. It also does not include ads on Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) or other social media platforms. Complete financials from the campaigns, through Elections Canada, won’t be available for several months.
editorial@peacearchnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
