Conservatives accuse NDP of violating Elections Act businesses, receiving, breaking, obtained, official

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Conservatives accuse NDP of violating Elections Act

OTTAWA — The Tories are urging Canada's Chief Electoral Officer to investigate whether the NDP broke the Elections Act after they obtained photos that suggest the official Opposition party received funding from unions.


In a letter sent to Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand, the Conservatives' lawyer, Arthur Hamilton accuses the NDP of breaking Elections Canada rules for receiving "contributions" from several unions and businesses at the party's summer convention held in Vancouver from June 17th to the 19th.


"During this convention, signage prominently displayed at (the event) identified the fact that sponsorships were being provided by both unions and certain incorporated entities," Hamilton wrote.


Attached to the letter are photos of NDP convention signs used at the three-day event including a "Thank you to our sponsors" with about half a dozen unions' logos below. They include large national unions such as the United Steelworkers, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, CUPE and the United Food and Commercial Workers. Other photos of signage show a fundraising dinnertime reception with small union logos on the bottom corner.


Unions and corporate companies cannot make contributions to political parties, candidates, or leadership contenders under Section 404 of Canada Elections Act.


"As you will appreciate, questions surrounding contributions to registered parties by unions or incorporated entities and the interpretation of the material provisions of the Elections Act are of significant interest to all registered parties," Hamilton wrote, insisting that he should receive a response to his call for an investigation.


Heather Wilson, the NDP's director for fundraising and membership, said the party did not bend any rules and that advertisements sold at fair-market-value are allowed by the law.

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"All rules and regulations have been followed by the NDP. And unlike the Conservatives, we stay within both the spirit and letter of the law. Advertisements at fair-market-value is allowed by the law. Elections Canada is fully aware of this practice," Wilson said in an e-mail to Postmedia News.


"This is a bit rich coming from the in-and-out party," Wilson said, calling out the Tories on their years-long fight with Elections Canada over allegations of improper party spending during the 2006 federal election.


Last week, the country joined the NDP in mourning the loss of its leader, Jack Layton, who died in August of cancer.


Reports suggest the NDP is on the verge of scrapping the labour movement's special voting rights at party leadership conventions, a move that would significantly change union influence over the party.



Canada's chief electoral officer Marc Mayrand reacts while waiting to testify before the Commons ethics committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In a letter sent to Mayrand, the Conservatives' lawyer, Arthur Hamilton accuses the NDP of breaking Elections Canada rules for receiving "contributions" from several unions and businesses at the party's summer convention held in Vancouver from June 17th to the 19th.



Canada's Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand in a 2007 file photo.

rainbow-davie

Right after Layton gone, Conservatives attack NDP..  What a party.

zoids

It's Conservative, it's expected.  They were the minority racist pro-corporation scums from Alberta that used to be attacking anything possible just like Lik attack China.  Pretty much inferiority complex + Nouveau riche, they finally made it there and now will try whatever mean to protect their benefits and position and follow the extreme right wing tea party and Bush.

NDP is not totally innocent though, everyone knows NDP is mainly union backed and the unions are killing the business and the younger generations.  Union rules are the main reason why no big corporations willing to hire full-time anymore.  That means your sons and daughters if not top cream of crop of their class or got connection to go into a good career field.  They will suffer career and financial problem for the rest of their life.

Liberal is taxing everyone to line their own pockets and lack of backbone to fight for the right cause...

Sigh.... pick your poison.

peter236

加拿大政黨，官商勾結，輸送利益，民眾受迫害。