KITCHENER - Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris Jr. far outspent any other local candidate in the last provincial election, while significantly outpacing his rivals when it came to fundraising.

Harris, serving his first term in the legislature after replacing now-regional councillor Michael Harris, spent $164,890 en route to winning the riding by 686 votes last June.

The new MPP's election expenses were only recently posted to the Elections Ontario site, after they were submitted about a month and a half past the deadline.

Harris kept his regulated expenses below the cut-off for the riding, according to his audited financial statement. The son of former Ontario premier Mike Harris also transferred $61,000 to other members of Ontario PC party during the campaign.

"It was important to me as well to support my fellow party candidates in Waterloo Region, as I believe many issues cross riding boundaries. We worked often as a team, just as we do now at Queen's Park," he said, in an email.

Harris' most notable feat may have been the amount of money he was able to raise from prominent Tories from outside Waterloo Region in between May and September last year.

He reported $161,766 in contributions - far more than MPP Catherine Fife (who raised $41,661), MPP Laura Mae Lindo ($23,628), MPP Belinda Karahalios ($34,147) and MPP Amy Fee ($23,650).

His list of contributors includes David Lindsay, a former deputy minister under his father; Isabel Bassett, a cabinet minister in the Harris government; and George, John and Terrie Eaton from the Toronto business family.

Harris also received financial support from Tenio Evangelista, a senior executive with Ontario's municipal pension fund; Deb Hutton, a former Harris staffer and wife of former PC leader Tim Hudak; investment banker Darryl Iwai and Toronto-based developer Hugh Heron.

The MPP said he leaned on a broad network of support when it came to raising funds for his first campaign for public office.

"I am very proud we raised a significant amount of money in Waterloo Region in such a short period of time," Harris said.

"Over the years you meet a few people along the way when you spend a whole life growing up in politics and working in the private sector. I am very grateful for the support of family and friends inside and outside the region."

Harris still hasn't filed his financial statement from his failed bid to win the Ontario PC nomination in Waterloo. That was due on Oct. 5.

gmercer@therecord.com

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