MLA Barkhouse Swept into Office on Wave of Campaign Donations

Chester-St. Margaret’s MLA Danielle Barkhouse won her seat riding a massive wave of campaign donations that were used to flood the riding with advertising. This phenomenon of the donation rush in Nova Scotia elections calls into question the impact of money in our democracy.

The 42 Nova Scotia General Election was held on November 26, 2024. Candidates must submit contribution and expense disclosure reports to Elections Nova Scotia. Elections Nova Scotia made these reports public early this summer. 

The Lunenburg Barnacle analysed the contribution and expense reports for candidates who ran in the three provincial ridings of Lunenburg County: Chester—St. Margaret’s, Lunenburg, and Lunenburg West.

Candidate Campaign Donations and Expenses for Nova Scotia’s 42nd General Election – 2024
Candidate (Party)	Votes	Donations over $200	Campaign Donations	Campaign Expenses
8 – Chester—St. Margaret’s
Laura Mulrooney Liberal Party NS	2,16025.9%	0	$0.00.0%	$57,002.6635.3%
Brendan Mosher NS New Democratic Party	1,29015.5%	0	$0.00.0%	$31,129.2819.3%
Danielle Barkhouse [Elected]See Table 1 for Campaign ExpensesNS Progressive Conservatives	4,80657.8%	35	$25,300.00100.0%	$73,329.0645.4%
TOTAL	8,320	35	$25,300.00	$161,461.00
38 – Lunenburg
Frank FawsonGreen Party NS	1722.4%	0	$0.00.0%	$0.000.0%
Melissa Duggan See Table 2 for Campaign ExpensesLiberal Party NS	1,49620.8%	4	$2,070.0021.1%	$40,115.0538.1%
Nick JenneryNS New Democratic Party	1,18516.5%	5	$0.00.0%	$32,969.4531.4%
Susan Corkum-Greek [Elected]See Table 3 for Campaign ExpensesNS Progressive Conservatives	4,30859.9%	4	$7,750.0078.9%	$32,042.0430.5%
TOTAL	7,193	13	$9,820.00	$105,126.54
39 – Lunenburg West
Mitchell LangfordGreen Party NS	1452.0%	0	$0.00.0%	$0.000.0%
Jonathan CrouseSee Table 4 for Campaign ExpensesLiberal Party NS	2,30232.0%	4	$7,610.0052.1%	$55,585.4345.8%
Nick PiovesanNS New Democratic Party	84611.8%	0	$0.00.0%	$29,332.3124.1%
Becky Druhan [Elected]See Table 5 for Campaign ExpensesNS Progressive Conservatives	4,23958.9%	4	$7,000.00 47.9%	$36,572.9430.1%
TOTAL	7,193	8	$14,610	$121,490.68

Analysis of these reports reveals that the Danielle Barkhouse Campaign received an exceptionally high value and number of campaign contributions, and that these donations funded a massive publicity and advertising budget.

The Barkhouse Campaign raised $25,300, raised through 35 donations over $200 (See Table 1).  The average value of campaign contributions over $200 was $4,520.9, and the average number of donations for candidates in the area was five.

The Barkhouse Campaign subsequently spent the most on the election totaling at $73,329.06.

The greatest expense among all candidates was publicity and advertising. The Barkhouse Campaign spent the most of all candidates, reporting $52,919.07 in costs on publicity and advertising. This amount was almost two-and-a-half-times greater than the average publicity and advertising costs among all local candidates of $23,233.76.

Barkhouse won the riding with 4,806 (57.8%) votes. 

The Luneburg Barnacle reported a similar dynamic in the 2024 Nova Scotia Municipal Elections. Mayor Elspeth McLean-Wile won her election with a similar rush of donations, including numerous wealthy business-owners. Those donations also allowed the candidate to flood the race with advertising.

The idea that a rush of campaign contributions can allow candidates to dominate an election through greater spending on advertising raises questions about the impact of money in provincial elections.

Laws already exist prohibiting campaign contributions from businesses and unions but they have proven ineffective. The owners of businesses openly make large donations to candidates, which is something typical union members are less able to do.

Alternatives have already existed in Canada to elections dominated by private campaign contributions. The Government of Canada, between 2004 to 2015, issued per-vote subsidies to parties based on the number of votes they received in the previous election. 

This policy helped smaller parties compete to a certain extent, but did not stop large private donations, and the majority of the subsidy benefited the Liberals and Conservatives.

The per-vote subsidy was removed by the Harper Government in 2015.

Nova Scotia could go beyond this approach by increasing public subsidies at the same time as putting significant limits on the amount that private donors can contribute to candidates and third-party groups.

Dr. Christy Kelly-Bisson is a political economist and garlic farmer living in Sulieweykitk (New Germany), Lunenburg County. You can follow them on Bluesky at @garlicbreath644.bsky.social

Table 1 – Campaign Contributions for Danielle Barkhouse During the 42nd Provincial Election – 2024
Last Name	First Name	Community	Amount ($)
Total of all contributions less than $200			500.00
Boutilier	Vincent	Hubbards	200.00
Campbell	John	Peggy’s Cove	1,000.00
Crocker	Susan	Chester	2,500.00
Dagley	Randall	Chester	1,000.00
Davis	Andrew	Chester Basin	250.00
Dewolf	Jennifer	Chester	500.00
Diamond	Susan	Chester	1,000.00
Dumaresq	Sandra	Chester	500.00
Dumaresq	Sydney	Chester	500.00
Ferguson	Terence	Chester Grant	500.00
Giffin	Gerry	Chester	1,000.00
Hammoud	Hassen	Chester	1,000.00
Hatch	Nancy	Chester	1,000.00
Hatt	William	Mahone Bay	200.00
Hunkin	John	Chester	2,000.00
LeBlanc	Donald	Glen Haven	250.00
Lumb	Steven	Chester	200.00
MacDonald	Colin	Chester	1,000.00
MacDonald	Lane	Halifax	1,000.00
Macinnis	Mary Jane	Chester	200.00
MacLeod	Robert	Chester	500.00
Moore	Bernadine	Chester	200.00
Murray	C William	Chester	1,000.00
Nightingale	Sarah	Glen Haven	350.00
Otto	Philip	Chester	250.00
Randall	Douglas	French Village	500.00
Rhyno	William	Chester	1,000.00
Ryer	Roger	Indian Harbour	500.00
Ryer	Dean	Hacketts Cove	500.00
Saffrey	Mary Jane	Chester	400.00
Sapp	Claudette	Chester	1,000.00
Schnare	Ricky	Chester	1,000.00
Welch	Thomas	Chester	500.00
Whynot	Terry	Kentville	300.00
Young	Susanne	Chester	1,000.00
Total			$25,300.00
Source: Elections Nova Scotia. (2025). Campaign Contributions Disclosure Report for Danielle Barkhouse.

Table 2 – Campaign Contributions for Melissa Duggan During the 42nd Provincial Election – 2024
Last Name	First Name	Community	Amount ($)
Total of all contributions less than $200			620.00
Burke	Patrick	Lunenburg	500.00
Ripley	Robert	Halifax	250.00
Robart	John	Oakhill	500.00
Turner	Genevieve	West Northfield	200.00
Total			$2,070.00
Source: Elections Nova Scotia. (2025). Campaign Contributions Disclosure Report for Melissa Duggan.

Table 3 – Campaign Contributions for Susan Corkum-Greek During the 42nd Provincial Election – 2024
Last Name	First Name	Community	Amount ($)
Total of all contributions less than $200			250.00
DeLong	Ralph	New Germany	1,000.00
Pittman	Shane	Upper LaHave	5,000.00
Smith	Benjamin	Lunenburg	1,000.00
Veinotte	Bruce	West Northfield	500.00
Total			$7,750.00
Source: Elections Nova Scotia. (2025). Campaign Contributions Disclosure Report for Susan Corkum-Greek.

Table 4 – Campaign Contributions for Jonathan Crouse During the 42nd Provincial Election – 2024
Last Name	First Name	Community	Amount ($)
Total of all contributions less than $200			250.00
DeLong	Ralph	New Germany	1,000.00
Pittman	Shane	Upper LaHave	5,000.00
Smith	Benjamin	Lunenburg	1,000.00
Veinotte	Bruce	West Northfield	500.00
Total			$7,750.00
Source: Elections Nova Scotia. (2025). Campaign Contributions Disclosure Report for Jonathan Crouse.

Table 5 – Campaign Contributions for Becky Druhan During the 42nd Provincial Election – 2024
Last Name	First Name	Community	Amount ($)
Total of all contributions less than $200			250.00
DeLong	Ralph	New Germany	1,000.00
Pittman	Shane	Upper LaHave	5,000.00
Smith	Benjamin	Lunenburg	1,000.00
Veinotte	Bruce	West Northfield	500.00
Total			$7,750.00
Source: Elections Nova Scotia. (2025). Campaign Contributions Disclosure Report for Becky Druhan.