New Democratic Party candidates in the 1993 Canadian federal election
[[Scarborough West]]: Steve Thomas
### [Scarborough West](/wiki/Scarborough_West "Scarborough West"): Steve Thomas

Thomas has been a prominent fundraiser for many years, both for the New Democratic Party and for independent progressive organizations. He began his fundraising career at [Oxfam Canada](/wiki/Oxfam_Canada "Oxfam Canada") in 1973, and later worked for clients such as [Amnesty International](/wiki/Amnesty_International "Amnesty International"), [Greenpeace](/wiki/Greenpeace "Greenpeace"), the [Multiple Sclerosis](/wiki/Multiple_Sclerosis "Multiple Sclerosis") (MS) Society, the [Schizophrenia](/wiki/Schizophrenia "Schizophrenia") Society, Scouts Canada, the St. Boniface Hospital and Sunnybrook Hospital. As of 1993, he had raised $60 million in his cumulative efforts for non\-profit organizations. Thomas was also Director of Development at [Humber College](/wiki/Humber_College "Humber College") from 1975 to 1977\.<https://web.archive.org/web/20040120234252/http://afptoronto.org/awards_gallery/2002/Steve_Thomas.htm>

Thomas campaigned for the [New Democratic Party of Ontario](/wiki/New_Democratic_Party_of_Ontario "New Democratic Party of Ontario") in the [1977 provincial election](/wiki/1977_Ontario_general_election "1977 Ontario general election"), and received 8,125 votes in [Don Mills](/wiki/Don_Mills_%28electoral_district%29 "Don Mills (electoral district)") for a second\-place finish against [Progressive Conservative](/wiki/Progressive_Conservative_Party_of_Ontario "Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario") incumbent [Dennis Timbrell](/wiki/Dennis_Timbrell "Dennis Timbrell").

Thomas made abortion access a leading feature of his 1993 campaign, describing [Liberal](/wiki/Liberal_Party_of_Canada "Liberal Party of Canada") incumbent [Tom Wappel](/wiki/Tom_Wappel "Tom Wappel") as "the most notorious vehement anti\-choice member in the federal house today" (*Toronto Star*, 13 May 1993\). He also focused on job creation, and he promised to work to revoke the country's new drug patent law (*Toronto Star*, 22 October 1993\). At one all\-candidates meeting, Thomas defended Canada's immigration levels against calls from a [Reform Party](/wiki/Reform_Party_of_Canada "Reform Party of Canada") candidate that they be cut in half (*Toronto Star*, 19 October 1993\). He received 2,771 votes (7\.07%), finishing fourth against Wappel.

Thomas was named as Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year in 2002 <https://web.archive.org/web/20040120234252/http://afptoronto.org/awards_gallery/2002/Steve_Thomas.htm>, and has been described by some as the "guru" and "godfather" of Canadian direct response fundraising. , he sits on the board of Resource Alliance.[http://www.resource\-alliance.org/speaker.php?sectionid\=5\&subsectionid\=88\&pageid\=462\&mode\=full\&speakerid\=397](http://www.resource-alliance.org/speaker.php?sectionid=5&subsectionid=88&pageid=462&mode=full&speakerid=397)


What are some potential drawbacks to fundraising efforts?