Quick links
bagman
DCHP-2 (Mar 2016)
n. — Politics
a political fundraiser.
Type: 3. Semantic Change — Bagman has several meanings, including traveling salesman and someone who collects money for criminal gangs (see OED-3, s.v. "bagman"). In Canada, the term may refer to a person who raises funds for a political party. Bagman is used in a somewhat depreciatory sense (see, e.g. the 1989 quotation), possibly because the term may have developed from the US usage, defined in the OED as "one who collects or administers the collection of money obtained by racketeering and other dishonest means" (see OED-3, s.v. bagman (2.b)). Bagman with the meaning 'fundraiser' is most prevalent in Canada (see Chart 1).
See also Gage-3, s.v. "bagman" which is described as "esp. Cdn.", and ITP Nelson, s.v. "bagman" (1), which is marked "Canadian".
See also Gage-3, s.v. "bagman" which is described as "esp. Cdn.", and ITP Nelson, s.v. "bagman" (1), which is marked "Canadian".
Quotations
1964
Mr. Goodman, vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Association of Canada, appears frequently before the Board of Control and the civic Buildings and Development Committee on behalf of real estate developers. He said yesterday he had raised $1,175 for Mr. Givens' war chest. Controller Allan Lamport, Mr. Givens' opponent in Monday's election, termed Mr. Goodman's campaign activity improper, dangerous and peculiar. "I cannot criticize for one second Mr. Goodman. How he practices is his own business... But for Mr. Givens to use Mr. Goodman as his bagman is a great and grave impropriety."
1978
Horace Rindress, former president of The J.P. Porter Co. Ltd. testified that Roger Lussier, the president of Porter's insurance brokerage firm, told him that he was very close to the chief Liberal bagman in Quebec and he was confident that that gentleman could assist us with our problem, but we would have to contribute approximately 25 per cent of our savings (as a result of the changed contract) to the Liberal Party.
1989
How much respect was former prime minister Pierre Trudeau showing at the end of his reign when he cynically tossed out corporate directorships and Senate hammocks to a rat's nest of Liberal bagmen, hacks and hangers-on, just before he slipped out the stage door?
1999
The Senate is also home to wealthy businessman Ross Fitzpatrick, arguably Chretien's closest confidant apart from his wife, Aline. Fitzpatrick, the party's bagman on the West Coast, is co-hosting this week's $400-a-plate British Columbia Prime Minister's Dinner.
2008
[...] the once-anti-appointment Harper had no more difficulty rewarding his own party's bagmen and defeated candidates than past Liberal prime ministers.
References
- Gage-3
- ITP Nelson
- OED-3
Images
