- MacPolitics: NDP Stalwarts Donated To Waye Mason’s Mayoral Ambitions
By Andrew Macdonald
Waye Mason lost his long-held ambition to become Mayor of HRM/Halifax, losing to Andy Fillmore in the fall 2024 election.
The Macdonald Notebook recently featured the who’s who of Fillmore’s donors, and that story is repeated at the end of this new story, which is focused on the campaign donations Mason received – I have listed the notable donors.
Second-place finisher Waye Mason raised a total of $146,000 in donations – a figure rounded off. He donated $925 to his own campaign.
He spent $79,000 on advertising, and had total expenses of $145,000, leaving a campaign surplus of $715, which he has donated to Spencer House. A senior’s centre in Southend Halifax.
While developers are on his campaign list, see below, there were a number of NDP stalwarts. As a 12-year-long regional councillor, Mason once told me he is non-partisan when it comes to provincial political parties.
In fact, in 2021, after Liberal Premier Stephen McNeil retired from politics, Mason’s name was then rumoured as a Liberal candidate.
NDP stalwarts did though donate to Mason’s mayoral bid last fall.
Among the who’s who of the NDP:
Andrew Black $100.
Jane Wright $100 – former great restaurateur
Lisa Roberts $100, current NDP Halifax contender
Wendy Lill $100, former Dartmouth MP
Sharon and Dan O’Connor $150
Dan O’Connor: $150 – former NDP chief of staff to Premier Darrell Dexter, Robert Chisholm and Alexa McDonough
Jane Wright, a further $250
Maureen Macdonald $250, former NDP cabinet minister
Leonard Preya $250, former NDP MLA
Olga Milosovich 300, former CBC broadcaster and NDP supporter
Mat Whynot, $525, former NDP MLA and campaign manager for Mason’s mayoral bid
Allan Shaw, business person and Alexa McDonough relative, $1000
A number of folks from the development community also contributed – many of those detailed below also gave to other mayoral contenders:
Kevin Riles $150
Andrew Inch $300
Rob Dexter $500
Joseph Daniel $500
Thane Stevens $500
Danny Chedrawe $1000
Mounir Haddad $1000
Wadih Fares $1000
Cesar Saleh $1000
Jim Spatz $1000
Navid Saberi $1500
Jason Brunt $3000
James C. Lawley $3000
Barbara Kanellakos $3000
283 John Kanellakos $3000
284 Whipple Kanellakos $3000
285 James Kanellakos $3000
The above are developers and some of those names appear on Andy Fillmore’s list of donors.
Other sizeable donors on Mason’s list include:
Rob Batherson $200, Tory candidate Halifax West
Kevin Kindred $1000, lawyer and human rights activist
Jevon MacDonald $3000, IT specialist who sold his tech company for multi-millions of dollars
Ethan Michaels $3000, noted realtor.
Former HRM mayoral contender Waye Mason.
While Mason has told me he is non-partisan politically, he did attract the who’s who of the NDP party as campaign donors, but in 2021 I published speculation that year that Mason was considering running for NS Liberal leader. In the end, he did not offer.
“The first name being bandied about as the next Nova Scotia Liberal leader is a veteran of municipal politics at Halifax City Hall. There is chatter that Halifax Southend/Downtown regional councillor Waye Mason would be interested in the post. Mason’s name is the first being chatted about by politicos. More often than not he has been aligned with the NDP, but Mason once told me he did not have a membership card with the NDP,” I wrote in 2021.
Andy Fillmore’s Notable Donors
In case you missed The Macdonald Notebook’s listing of Andy Fillmore’s winning mayoral bid donors, here is that story:
- MacPolitics: Establishment Backed Andy Fillmore’s Mayoral Candidacy In HRM – Meet The Fillmore Who’s Who Campaign Donors
By Andrew Macdonald
Halifax City Hall has disclosed campaign finances and donations for the municipal election in the fall, which produced a convincing win for mayor candidate, Andy Fillmore. Among the top three finishers, Fillmore raised more money and had larger expenses than second-place finisher, Waye Mason and third-spot’s Pam Lovelace.
In this story, we explore some of Fillmore’s campaign donations. Some folk gave the maximum donation from an individual of $3,000. Corporations and unions are not allowed to donate, just citizens.
Fillmore’s total campaign donations tallied $302,969. More than Mason and Lovelace.
But, Fillmore also spent more on his campaign, with advertising and print material costing $228,031. His total campaign expenses reached $298,255.
That left a surplus of $4,714, which has been added to his campaign funds if he runs in four more years.
Fillmore spent $10,750 on campaign salaries. Those folks with salaries during his campaign have not been disclosed by the candidate. He spent $34,233 on signs, maps, list of voters, sign holders and postage.
Fillmore, oddly, did not make a donation to his own campaign. Rules allow a maximum candidate donation of $5,900.
Second-place finisher Waye Mason raised a total of $146,000 in donations – a figure rounded off. He donated $925 to his own campaign.
He spent $79,000 on advertising, and had total expenses of $145,000, leaving a camapign surplus of $715, which he has donated to Spencer House. A senior’s centre in Southend Halifax.
Third spot finisher, Pam Lovelace had a low-key campaign, receiving donations of $32,000, which included herself donating $5,900 to her effort. Her expenses totalled $21,000.
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore, sworn in as mayor in November, hailed the city’s success in rekindling population growth and economic expansion after the doldrums of the 2000s, describing himself as the most optimistic he’s ever been about the city’s future. (The Notebook)
Meet Some Fillmore Donors
In this story, I focus on some of the donations Fillmore received. A real who’s who of the Halifax establishment scene. Many developers donated to Fillmore, and numerous lawyers and those associated with law firms gave money to his candidacy. Road builders were also numerous in donations. The maximum allowed individual donation of $3,000 was given numerous times by donors.
Here are some of Fillmore’s donors:
Developer PETER POLLEY $500
Healthcare owner, ROBERT ZED $1000
Developer, Chicken Burger owner, and serial entrepreneur MICKEY MACDONALD $3000
Consultant PAULA MINNIKIN $100
Perfume maker BARB STEGEMAN $3000
Prominent realtor CAROLYN DAVIS gave a total of $500 in two donations
Her husband Dr. DANIEL REID $100
Government lawyer SEAN FOREMAN $100
Developer WILLIAM GREENWOOD $1000
Engineer DAN O’HALLORAN $1000
Lightening entrepreneur CHARLES CARTMILL $500
Insurance businessperson and noted Tory JENNIFER MACLEOD $100
Class Action lawyer RAY WAGNER $100
Developer DONALD CLOW $500
GREG SIMPSON $1500
Office Furnishings owner JIM MILLS $2000
Road builder with Dexter Construction KEN MACLEAN $1500
Road builder and owner of Ocean Contractors JOHN FLEMMIMG $1500
House developer JEFF MARCHAND $1500
Apartment and condo developer and CEO of Southwest Properties: $2000
Developer JEFF KIELBRATOWSKI $1500
Stewart McKelvery law firm LYDIA BUGDON $500
Developer FRANCIS FARES $1506
VALERIE MACDONALD $2500, married to developer Jim Spatz, owner of Southwest Properties
Apartment landlord RON LOVETT $1500
Contractor of building development with Lindsay Construction CORY BELL $2500
Former insurance bix operator KEITH DEXTER $1000
Developer MICHAEL LAWEN $2999
Developer MOUNIR HADDAD $1000
Oland Brewery exec WADE KELLER $100
Developer MAURICE FARES $1000
Developer GEORGE GIANNOULIS $3000
Developer PETRA GIANNOULIS $3000
Metals recycler JONTHAN ROSS $1000
Developer PETER LAWEN $1000
Commercial real estate broker TIM MARGOLIAN $1000
Commercial landlord BRIAN LUGAR $250
Developer and lawyer ANDREW INCH $300
Moving van exec BRUCE BOWSER $3000
Retired communicator PETER SPURWAY $100
Shipping owner HARRY MATHERS $500
09/07/2024
Hospitality owner DENNIS CAMPBELL $500
Former publisher SHEILA BLAIR-REID $500
Commercial real estate broker TOM GERARD $3000
Developer WADIH FARES $2500
Developer PANOS GIANNOULIS $1000
Developer TALEB ABIDALI $1000
Developer JOSEPH GHOSN $500
Developer SOLOMON GHOSN $1000
Auto dealer titan ROBERT STEELE $3000
Dr.JOHN GILLIS $1000
Industrialist and captain of commerce ALLAN SHAW $3000
Developer PETER GIANNOULIS $2000
Wadih Fares spouse CATHY FARES $1000. They are a development family
Banker BRUCE TOWLER $1000
Commercial landlord LARRY SWINAMER $1000
Healthcare exec and Wadih Fares daughter MONIQUE FARES $1000
Architect GEORGE COTARAS $400
Developer VICTOR KIELBRATOWSKI $1000
Reatlor SANDY RUTLEDGE $500
Nova Scotia Power CEO PETER GREGG $1000
Realtor MAURA NOLAN $100 09/13/2024
Politico MARY CLANCEY $1000
Emera’s JUDY STEELE $1000
Radio station chain owner DAVID PACE $1000
Businesswoman LOUISE ABRAHAM PACE $1000
Road builder TREVOR CHISHOLM $1000
Developer ROBERT DEXTER $500
Charlie Keating daughter-in-law SUSAN BEKKERS $1000
Developer MENACHEM SUISSA $1800
Lawyer GRANT MACHUM $500
Tory supporter DAVID HENDERSON $150
Marine transporation owner FRED SMITHERS $2500
Retired pollster DON MILLS $250
Dr. PAUL DOUCETTE $1000
Fishtocrat JOHN RISLEY $1000
Former journalist JANE TABER $250
Developer DANNY CHEDRAWE $1000
His spouse ROSE CHEDRAWE $1000
Developer SCOTT MCCREA $500
Developer JOSEPH DANIEL $500
Lawyer HUGH WRIGHT $250
Lawyer PETER GREEN $250
Former Port of Halifax chair TOM HAYES $250
Liberal DORIS ROBBINS $250
Former broadcaster and Tory supporter JORDI MORGAN $100
Lawyer MICHELLE AWAD $500.
Her spouse, lawyer JACK GRAHAM $500
Volunteer and charities supporter SHERRY PORTER $1000
Realtor MARK STEIN $100
Retired not profit exec ANGUS CAMPBELL $250
Developer ROBERT MARGESON $250
Lawyer and Port chair DAVID CAMERON $500
Developer DAVID GRAHAM $500
Broadcaster ANDREW COCHRANE $250
Developer NAVID SABERI $2000
Lobbyist TREVOR FLOYD $500
Developer CHARLES RAMIA $3000
Contractor and developer DOUG DOUCET $1000
Politico GEOFF REGAN $250
Liberal operator DALE PALMETER $250
Tory supporter ROBERT BATHERSON $200
John Bragg’s son LEE BRAGG $1000
Developer TONY MASKINE $1000
Building contractor ALLAN MACINTOSH $500
Shannex’s JASON SHANNON $1500 – son of Joe Shannon
Landlord STEVEN DEXTER $1000
Venture Capitalist PATRICK KEEFE $1000
IT exec PAUL EISNER $100
Former bar baron DAVID KEEFE $2000
Singer and man about town DENIS RYAN $1000
Developer ROSS CANTWELL $1000
Realtor DENISE MACDONELL $100
Taylor Flooring company owner LARRY GIBSON
Seaboard Trucking MARK SHANNON $1500 – son of Joe Shannon
Senior’s care company owner ALICE MCCARRON $300
Politico REG RANKIN $200
Developer and landord with Killam REIT ROBERT RICHARDSON $2000
Developer TONY METLEGE $3000
Window manufacturer KEVIN PELLEY $500
Lightening exec CURTIS CARTMILL $100
IT exec and Alexa McDonough’s son TRAVIS MCDONOUGH $250
JOE SHANNON, owner of Shannex and Seaboard Trucking $1500
Agency business person CHRIS KEEVILL $100
Law firm exec at IAN THOMPSON $150
Developer ELLIOT MACNEIL $1000
Consultant RONALD LESPERANCE $250
Engineer AUBREY PALMETER $200
Architect PAUL SKERRY $250
Developer DAVID GRAHAM $1000, also gave $500 on a different date
Lawyer and developer LOUIS WOLFSON $1000
Lawyer JAMES MACNEIL $1500
Road builder Tom HICKEY $3000
Bar baron VICTOR SYPEREK $250
Commercial real estate agent KENZIE MACKINNON $250
Developer and Joe Ramia’s brother GEORGE RAMIA $2000
Realtor ETHAN MICHAELS $1000
HRM development approvals company owner KEVIN RILES $2000
Developer NASSIM GHOSEN $1000
Road builder JEFFREY POTTER $1500
Developer brothers LOUIE LAWEN, Peter Lawen and John Lawen each listed with providing rent worth $1,000 for each brother
Developer JOE NICKERSON provided rent worth $500.
The above list includes some of Fillmore’s more notable donations from a who is who of the Fillmore campaign donors. It is not the complete list of donors.
Pam Lovelace came third in her quest to be Mayor of Halifax. (The Notebook).
Waye Mason said after his election loss: “While election night was not the outcome I hoped for, the people of HRM have spoken.”
“Despite the results, while I may not be the next mayor, I am going to continue to work on behalf of the people of HRM in other capacities, just as I did before I ran for mayor, and before I ran for council.”
Added Mason: “I appreciate everything everyone contributed to this campaign! I am proud we went from 9% to 25% in the last 6 weeks and thank everyone for the work that made that happen.”
Said Mason: “Consolation prize, this is a really good Council. It could turn out to be the best most progressive and thoughtful council since amalgamation. I wish I was going to lead it, but I think they will do the right thing, no matter who is mayor!”
“And on that note, I am pleased to hand the district over to Laura White, the (new) councillor for District 7 Halifax South Downtown.”
Added Mason: “Laura is thoughtful, smart, into evidence-based decision-making, cares about good policy leading to good outcomes, and has the education and work background to excel as our councillor. I am very excited to see her grow into the position.”
“During the transition, I’m handing over a letter listing a bunch of in-flight or recurring issues, about 200 names and phone numbers of areas schools admins, faith communities, community groups, and steering people to her website,” said Mason.
Mason highlighted his 12-years on regional council.
“It has been a joy and a privilege to represent District 7 for the last 12 years. And sure I have enjoyed the big things (Cogswell, North Park roundabouts, Argyle, Spring Garden, Commons Pool, permanent building on the Oval).”
“I enjoyed the small things so much more – replacing electric baseboards with heat pumps at Spencer House and saving that not-for-profit thousands of dollars a year, helping fund school improvements, especially signs and playgrounds, the time we got a new loading zone put up in front of the old Brewery Market at 2pm on a Friday in time for the market the next day after the old loading zone was blocked by the Alexanders construction,” said Mason.
