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Andrew Scheer’s Conservative Party is setting itself up to run against a familiar foe in the upcoming election: the media.

In recent weeks the party mailed a survey to Tory donors, signed by the party’s campaign director Hamish Marshall, asking them to rank major Canadian newspapers and TV stations — the Globe & Mail, Toronto Star, the Sun papers, Global, City, CTV, CBC and the National Post — based on the outlets’ perceived ideological leanings: “left of centre,” “neutral/balanced,” or “right of centre.”

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The mail-out, sent to supporters as a pitch to kick in monthly donations to the party, further asks: “In your opinion, which of Canada’s major political parties is most favoured by the mainstream news media?”

A party spokesman confirmed the authenticity of the questionnaire.

“It was about raising funds for our campaign, and gathering supporters feedback on where and how they consume media, and their personal perceptions,” said party communications director Cory Hann. He added that the appeal for donations was spurred by the Liberal Party’s proposed support program for Canadian media outlets — a program that would be administered by an arms-length body, to avoid possible political favouritism.