What do you get when a Weston, a Bronfman, and a Stronach walk into a mansion?
A fundraiser for Pierre Poilievre, apparently.
You might think the Conservative leader’s money-raising efforts would reflect the image he’s cultivated as an anti-establishment champion of working people.
But Poilievre isn’t fundraising in local legion and union halls. He’s doing it in homes that boast tennis courts, 10-car garages, and dressing rooms the size of some big city apartments.
Since becoming leader in 2022, Poilievre has shown up at more than 50 fundraisers in private venues or mansions in Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.
These locations—as well as their guests—offer a peek into the world of political alliances the Conservative Party is solidifying behind closed doors.
Besides some of the country’s richest family dynasties, Poilievre is rubbing shoulders with corporate lobbyists, venture capitalists, real estate investors, and bankers and financiers—precisely the same elites he has railed against publicly.
While donations to political parties are capped at $1,725 a head these days, the access afforded by private fundraisers—as well as the sense of expected reciprocity— is priceless.
Drawing from Elections Canada fundraising filings, The Breach has picked out ten mansions that have been graced with a Poilievre visit.
Forest Hill, ON
December 13, 2022 and December 14, 2023
The Conservative Party-supporting owners of this Forest Hill house have hosted not one but two fundraisers since Poilievre became leader. Home to David Cynamon, the executive chairman of a purification company and former co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts, the property has an estimated value of more than $6-million.
Cynamon and his wife Stacey have long thrown “power parties” attended by Toronto’s upper crust. Recent guests of a Poilievre shindig included Weston member and former chairman of the family’s foundation Geordie Daglish, investment advisor and descendant of Seagram’s founder Bruce Bronfman, and billionaire auto parts magnate and alleged repeat sexual abuser Frank Stronach.
Also in attendance at one fundraiser was a couple whose financial firm has a stated mission of “creating wealth and transitioning it in the most tax advantaged way.”
If Poilievre is lucky, maybe the next fundraiser will be at the Cynamon’s cottage estate in Muskoka, a summer weekend getaway they travel to by private plane. The 10-acre estate—which comes with staff and a custom-built tiki bar—is located on the north end of Lake Joseph, otherwise known as “Billionaires’ Row.” It’s the same lake where notorious businessman Kevin O’Leary and his wife, Linda, were involved in a fatal boat crash.
North York, ON
November 30, 2023
Christened the Rosewood Estate, this sprawling French-style manor was recently on the market for a price of $16-million.
The current inhabitants, corporate executives Stephen Arbib and Nikki Ruvolo, are frequently photographed at elite social events, including a recent fundraiser for family therapy in Israel with a headline performance from former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
They are moving out of the 12,000 square foot home, which boasts more bathrooms than a normal person could use in a day (eight).
The ghosts of past residents may have smiled down on the investment bankers, tech CEOs, and Conservative politicians that flocked to the legacy estate to raise funds for Poilievre: the house was built in the 1930s for Ernest Rowe, an oil well drilling pioneer.
Westmount, QC
January 16, 2024
This neo-Georgian Westmount mansion is currently owned by Sharon Hochfelder and Aaron Stern, major real estate and opportunistic investors.
Hochfelder is involved with several financial firms with massive holdings in rental apartments. Stern, for his part, made a tidy fortune by investing in Ecuador’s international bonds.
The 26,000-square foot manor’s relatively plain exterior conceals a gym with separate massage room, a wine cellar, a “man cave,” and a ten-car garage. When Hochfelder and Stern purchased the mansion for $6-million in 2015, it was one of the most expensive residential properties in Montreal. Previously, the mansion was owned for decades by Lino Saputo Jr, heir to the titular cheese fortune.
Earlier this year, the couple hosted a Poilievre fundraiser chock full of corporate lobbyists, investment bankers, and real estate investors.
Winnipeg, MB
January 12, 2023
Home to hospitality mogul Tom De Nardi, the Smith House might look more modest than ritzy digs in Toronto and Montreal. But don’t be fooled—it’s a designated historic site in the upscale (and aptly named) Tuxedo neighbourhood, and valued at $1.8 million.
De Nardi first opened his doors to Poilievre in January 2023, and almost exactly a year later, hosted the Conservative leader again at his specialty grocery store and restaurant, Piazza De Nardi (which currently has a one-star review on Indeed for employee satisfaction).
His hospitality seems to have helped Poilievre make some valuable connections—he’s rubbed shoulders with many of Winnipeg’s elite, including agricultural executives, real estate developers, trucking tycoons, and lumber barons.
Toronto, ON – Rosedale
October 25, 2023
Before right wing former media mogul Conrad Black and others ascended 184 Roxborough Drive for a Conservative fundraiser hosted by elite accountant David Foley, a decidedly different crowd frequented this Rosedale mansion.
Decades earlier, it was home to the feminist and the first openly lesbian Canadian senator Nancy Ruth. More than just Ruth’s personal residence, the house was a meeting place for feminist activists.
It’s ironic, then, that the gargantuan residence nestled alongside the Don Valley is now a site to foster the interests of an anti-feminist Conservative leader.
Poilievre has drawn criticism from feminist organizations for supporting a ban on transgender women using women’s washrooms and participating in women’s professional sports. He has also come under fire for including misogynistic tags on his Youtube videos that would make them appeal to men’s right movements, and appearing on the podcast of the notorious alt-right and anti-feminist Jordan Peterson.
Westmount, QC
March 26, 2024
Shoes-on or shoes-off? Given that this historic mansion is home to Isabelle Poirier and her husband David Bensadoun, the CEO of Aldo, we’re pretty certain which it would be.
The Louis-Léonce Léopold Rodier House (say that ten times, fast) is a Queen Anne-style mansion that sold for $4.5 million in 2014. Its monogrammed wrought iron railings make it a noted favourite of historical mansion enthusiasts.
David is the son of billionaire businessman Aldo Bensadoun, for whom the company is named. The family company is valued at around $1.7 billion—a fortune at least partly created through the exploited labour of underpaid sweatshop workers.
Victoria, BC
November 14, 2023
Home to Don Nightingale, former member of the top governing council of the Conservative Party, and his wife Margot, this deceptively modest estate overlooks Victoria’s Gonzales Bay.
The Nightingales, both former business professors, built this minimalist home in 2012. With views of the Pacific Ocean, the property, though small, is valued at $4-million.
The Nightingales are frequent hosts for the Conservatives. Attendees have included lobbyists, corporate lawyers, and university board members.
Brampton, ON
August 19, 2023
Businessman Bob Dosanjh Singh squeezed an impressive 103 people into his Brampton McMansion for a fundraiser last summer. In attendance were realtors galore, along with developers and tech execs.
His home is valued at $2.2-million. Singh mysteriously withdrew from a Conservative candidacy race for Mississauga-Malton in 2019. The ever-aspiring politician also unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Brampton in 2022.
Mississauga, ON
April 27, 2023
Nestled in “Mississauga’s Mansion Neighbourhood,” this gaudy home is owned by Conrad Boris. The land the mansion is built on was sold for $3.35-million in 2018, though the current valuation of the house itself is unknown.
The Boris family made their fortune by operating and selling Mountain Cablevision, a telecommunications provider that was acquired by Rogers in 2013.
Port Carling, ON
July 20, 2023
Late last summer, venture capitalist Elaine Kunda gathered dozens of people to dine with Pierre and Anaida Poilievre at a lakefront village that a prior realty listing states “embodies classic luxury.” Kunda is a self-professed “serial entrepreneur” who now manages Disruption Ventures, a venture capital and private equity firm.
Her sprawling villa backs onto the Lake Joseph—that same Lake Joseph where Kevin O’Leary’s wife had a lethal altercation. O’Leary himself made an appearance at this last fundraiser, which featured some of Muskoka’s most high society cottage-goers.
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22 comments
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As with all Conservative politicians, hobknobbing with the rich and famous is par for the course. Looking out for the rest of the population is definitely not in Conservatives DNA, except of course, if you’re holding an illegal truckers protest, then they provide coffee and donuts
Look at the electoral map. Most conservative support is in rural Canada. Most of the wealth is concentrated in the cities, where the Libs hold most of the support. Conservatism is about SELF RELIANCE and SELF DETERMINATION. It’s about taking control of your own life and not burdening your neighbor with your lack of ability to be responsible for yourself. You may want to try this way of living. Beware though, it’s only for the grownups.
Yes, it’s all about not giving a s#!t about anyone but yourself.
Perhaps your little group of so called investigative writers may consider reporting on Trudeau’s many documented faux pas. I reckon that will not happen as your transparency is about as clear as the Fraser river after a large snowmelt.
This is possibly the dumbest article ever. To raise money for any party, you have to go where the money is. Hint: it’s not with the poor and middle class. What this article does tell us is how much you dislike the conservatives and their supporters. Hope you are preparing yourselves for many years of dislike ahead.
Ahhh, the neoliberals ride again. Burn Baby, burn.
So what !! Successful Conservatives open their homes for rallies at no cost to support the party .I’m sure you had no problem with the Laurentian Liberals fund raising in the posh homes of their supporters or Trudeau rubbing shoulders with his very rich buddies. Spare us the hypocrisy.
Nobody cares that he is rich and has rich friends. It’s policy we care about. Nice try at a hot piece but frankly you wasted your time.
And exactly which policies do you think will actually help the non-elite Pierre pretends to care about?
Oh no!
A politician raising money! Look out!
So when are you going to list the top 10 mansions that Trudeau attends to help fundraise for the Liberals?
Oh I forgot, kinda hard to bite the hand that feeds you!
So the f* what. He is fund raising to rid us of this evil Liberal/NDP coalition that has ruined this country. Is he supposed to go to the downtown east side of Vancouver to raise the funds necessary?
wow, these don’t look like mansions to me simply nice homes, quite a stretch putting in houses worth 1.6 2, million
you must be a Liberal or have nothing to report, hoping to hop on someone’s anger train
So now everyone who has built wealth is evil. You guys are so full of crap. Communism and heavy socialism has failed everywhere it has been used. These wealthy people have worked hard for decades to get what they have. They have created emoyment opportunities for thousands of people and paid an ocean of taxes. If you don’t like free market to economics, maybe you should leave Canada. Grow up and realize that you have to carve out your own place in this world and these wealthy people show what is possible.
Let the hit pieces begin!
And I was told it was the right that were into conspiracy theories
Trump North Poilievre…..has that Alex Jones endorsment under his belt. Sounds like the Russian trolls are paid well on this site. Making being homeless a crime….on the Trump Cult wanna be list here??? France and England sent the fascists packing……the Blue wave is about to hit south of the border……..will Poilievre start wearing Depends now??? He should chang, because it certainly is full of B-S#it right now
the point of the piece here is that like Ford, P.P. is lying when he says he is ‘everyman’ with the same concerns as almost all of the people he wants to represent. Yes, he is much like all politicians, bankers, military leaders, religious figures.
Surely someone who portrays himself as a friend to the common people should not be courting those whose purpose is the accumulation and retention of personal wealth. Many if those in the elite have profited due to massive tax breaks, unfair labour practices, lax environmental legislation and other forms of “corporate welfare”. Lined up at the trough.
Poilievre is telling people what they want to hear. When you pin them down on detailed plans for climate change and energy they respond with disinformation sprinkled liberally with fairy dust.
capitalism has failed, is failing will fail and fell not because of the “commies”, but by itself
Informative and entertaining. And, to judge by many of the comments here, you seem to have hit a very sensitive nerve. Well done!