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http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n041527A.xml
OTTAWA - RCMP officers raided Conservative party headquarters in Ottawa on Tuesday at the request of Elections Canada.
Elections commissioner William Corbett asked the Mounties to execute a search warrant, but officials wouldn't say why.
"I can confirm that the commissioner of Elections Canada has requested the assistance of the RCMP in the execution of a search warrant," said spokesman John Enright.
"The commissioner has no further comment."
Elections Canada and the Conservative party have been engaged in a protracted legal battle over alleged campaign spending irregularities from the 2006 election.
At least two Mounties searched party offices on the 12th floor of a downtown building as camera crews filmed outside. A short time later, two officers rolled a cart full of boxes and bags into a 17th-floor mailroom.
Andre Thouin, an elections official, left later with a box of documents.
Corbett launched an investigation in April 2007 into $1.2-million worth of Conservative election television and radio advertising that was challenged by Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand.
Mayrand refused to reimburse Conservative candidates for part of the advertising money when they claimed it as local expenses. The ads were produced for the party's national campaign, which has a separate limit for election spending.
The Conservatives insist the transactions were legal but Elections Canada disagrees and opposition parties have labelled the scheme outright fraud.
Some campaign officials told the elections watchdog that the scheme was referred to as the "in-and-out" plan.
Under the plan, party headquarters would send as much as $50,000 in cash to candidates across the country. The candidates would then give the money back to headquarters, claiming they were paying for advertising.
In some cases, the advertising was virtually identical to national ads, the only difference being a tag line that listed a series of local candidates.
RCMP Cpl. Jean Hainey said the Mounties were merely assisting: "It is not an RCMP investigation. We're there to assist, but that's it."
He would not provide any other details.
No one from the party was immediately available for comment and phone calls to the headquarters went unanswered.
An aide to the party's lawyer, Paul Lepsoe, said he was in a meeting and unable to return calls.
Election Canada's lawyer, Barbara McIssac, was also unavailable.
The Prime Minister's Office referred questions to the party.
Soon after Corbett launched his investigation, the Conservatives went to Federal Court in an attempt to force Mayrand to reimburse the expenses to 67 Conservative candidates.
That case has not yet reached a hearing stage, with the party and Elections Canada still filing evidentiary briefs.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said the raid is a result of the Conservatives' "culture of secrecy."
"Mr. Harper promised transparency, a different kind of open government, and yet when it comes to something this fundamental, the doors have apparently been closed to Elections Canada and they've had to call in the police.
"It just shows you why you can't trust the government of Stephen Harper."
OTTAWA - RCMP officers raided Conservative party headquarters in Ottawa on Tuesday at the request of Elections Canada.
Elections commissioner William Corbett asked the Mounties to execute a search warrant, but officials wouldn't say why.
"I can confirm that the commissioner of Elections Canada has requested the assistance of the RCMP in the execution of a search warrant," said spokesman John Enright.
"The commissioner has no further comment."
Elections Canada and the Conservative party have been engaged in a protracted legal battle over alleged campaign spending irregularities from the 2006 election.
At least two Mounties searched party offices on the 12th floor of a downtown building as camera crews filmed outside. A short time later, two officers rolled a cart full of boxes and bags into a 17th-floor mailroom.
Andre Thouin, an elections official, left later with a box of documents.
Corbett launched an investigation in April 2007 into $1.2-million worth of Conservative election television and radio advertising that was challenged by Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand.
Mayrand refused to reimburse Conservative candidates for part of the advertising money when they claimed it as local expenses. The ads were produced for the party's national campaign, which has a separate limit for election spending.
The Conservatives insist the transactions were legal but Elections Canada disagrees and opposition parties have labelled the scheme outright fraud.
Some campaign officials told the elections watchdog that the scheme was referred to as the "in-and-out" plan.
Under the plan, party headquarters would send as much as $50,000 in cash to candidates across the country. The candidates would then give the money back to headquarters, claiming they were paying for advertising.
In some cases, the advertising was virtually identical to national ads, the only difference being a tag line that listed a series of local candidates.
RCMP Cpl. Jean Hainey said the Mounties were merely assisting: "It is not an RCMP investigation. We're there to assist, but that's it."
He would not provide any other details.
No one from the party was immediately available for comment and phone calls to the headquarters went unanswered.
An aide to the party's lawyer, Paul Lepsoe, said he was in a meeting and unable to return calls.
Election Canada's lawyer, Barbara McIssac, was also unavailable.
The Prime Minister's Office referred questions to the party.
Soon after Corbett launched his investigation, the Conservatives went to Federal Court in an attempt to force Mayrand to reimburse the expenses to 67 Conservative candidates.
That case has not yet reached a hearing stage, with the party and Elections Canada still filing evidentiary briefs.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said the raid is a result of the Conservatives' "culture of secrecy."
"Mr. Harper promised transparency, a different kind of open government, and yet when it comes to something this fundamental, the doors have apparently been closed to Elections Canada and they've had to call in the police.
"It just shows you why you can't trust the government of Stephen Harper."
