Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes defends campaign spending during the last federal election.
It’s alleged that the Conservative Party spent $1 million more than the $18 million national campaign limit in the 2006 election. Party headquarters in Ottawa were recently raided by the RCMP and Elections Canada officials.
“We have nothing to hide,” said Mayes.
Under legislation, national parties can provide funds to individual candidates, but the money must be used for local campaigns and not the national one.
Prior to the end of the 2006 election, the party transferred money to 67 candidates who had not reached their individual limits. That money was then transferred back to the party for national advertising.
The ads ran in local markets mentioning the local candidates.
It’s alleged by Elections Canada that this was an attempt to circumvent the national spending limit.
However, Mayes disagrees with that interpretation.
“It would be good if we left it to a judge to decide the interpretation of the act,” he said, adding that other parties have also taken similar action during previous elections.
“I really do believe the (Conservative) party has followed common practice.”
Financial reports filed with Elections Canada show that the Conservative Party transferred $9,989 into Mayes’ campaign Jan. 13, 2006. On Jan. 16, there was a $10,029 transfer out of Mayes’ campaign account.
Mayes says financial decisions were handled by his campaign team and he was not aware of the $9,989 transfer into his account.
“My official agent or campaign manager didn’t make me aware of this,” he said.
In terms of the $10,029, Mayes insists that money originated from donations and there was a request from the national party for funds.
“We forwarded funds to help other constituencies that were under-funded.”
Wayne McGrath, Mayes’ campaign manager, confirms that he was contacted by the national party.
“They explained that it was possible to have another $10,000 for the campaign. They said we’d have to send another $10,000 back and it would go to pay for advertising. It would go towards our maximum spending limit,” he said.
McGrath admits that he and others within the campaign team had some reservations.
“I simply didn’t know if it was possible to receive money from the national party and use it for local campaigns. But it was determined that the money could transfer back and forth,” he said.
McGrath says Mayes was part of those discussions.
“We were part of a committee and he was part of the committee. He certainly agreed with it,” said McGrath.
McGrath believes Election Canada’s allegations are unfounded.
“The party is on sound legal grounds. As the prime minister said, it’s a matter of interpretation of where the advertising had to go,” he said.
Other parties are taking issue with Mayes’ comments.
“The local NDP campaign did not transfer money to the national party, and then claim it as a local advertising expense,” said Jeff Mellows, the NDP’s financial agent during the 2006 election.
“Funds received by the Alice Brown campaign were all spent here on the local campaign.”
Elections Canada is being sued by the Conservative Party for denying the advertising expenses of local candidates.
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