Liberal expense claims questioned by Elections Canada

[Keepitsimple]

OTTAWA - Elections Canada is scrutinizing almost $800,000 worth of expenses filed by Liberal candidates in last fall's election campaign, The Canadian Press has learned.

The elections watchdog has asked the Liberal party to produce detailed invoices and documentation to prove that a mandatory riding services package was actually worth the $2,500 each candidate was required to pay for it . Until Elections Canada is satisfied that the packages aren't really a thinly-veiled donation to party headquarters, the candidates won't receive their election expenses rebates, worth a total of about $3.5 million to the cash-hungry party.

...Snip...

The riding services packages included buttons, posters, brochures, photos of the leader, and templates for lawn signs, web sites and letterhead.

It DOES seem like a lot of money for buttons, posters and brochures. Templates are just that - a single design that each riding uses to produce their own material at their own cost.

[jdobbin]

It DOES seem like a lot of money for buttons, posters and brochures. Templates are just that - a single design that each riding uses to produce their own material at their own cost.

I have seen central buy campaigns for elections before. They often vary from around $2000 to $5000 and include staff salaries in the central office for assembling the package. I would not be surprised if all the parties get a request like this from Elections Canada.

I don't know that anyone at Liberal headquarters would be overly alarmed by the request although it is a lot more detailed than giving a simple invoice.

[Keepitsimple]

I have seen central buy campaigns for elections before. They often vary from around $2000 to $5000 and include staff salaries in the central office for assembling the package. I would not be surprised if all the parties get a request like this from Elections Canada.

I don't know that anyone at Liberal headquarters would be overly alarmed by the request although it is a lot more detailed than giving a simple invoice.

You could be right Dobbin.....I was expecting that you might be the first to weigh in. While I've got your attention Dobber, someone seems to have access to your login and password.....they've snuck in a bunch of aggressive partisan posts over the past month or two (all that mad dog sociopath stuff)....I know it's not you. Is there an up and coming teenage Dobbin living in your basement?

[jdobbin]

You could be right Dobbin.....I was expecting that you might be the first to weigh in. While I've got your attention Dobber, someone seems to have access to your login and password.....they've snuck in a bunch of aggressive partisan posts

Since Tom Flanagan seems to have focused on Harper's driven need to destroy the Liberals despite what damage it does to him, I think I'm not the only one to pick up on this dysfunction of his.

You know I have said to you often that if Harper stuck to his knitting, he would have a majority right now.

[Keepitsimple]

Since Tom Flanagan seems to have focused on Harper's driven need to destroy the Liberals despite what damage it does to him, I think I'm not the only one to pick up on this dysfunction of his.

You know I have said to you often that if Harper stuck to his knitting, he would have a majority right now.

Nobody's perfect, least of all Harper. He's got warts and maybe his disdain for the Trudeau/Chretien Liberals will be his achilles heel......but he's relatively young and he learns quickly. I think his brush with death in trying to drive a stake through the Liberals last October was a defining moment for him. I wouldn't go so far as to say he'll mellow - but I think he'll be smarter. Like many, his disdain is not for individual Liberals - but for the Trudeau/Chretien power brokers who operated in the shadows - the favour-trading, patronage-laden Liberal machinery that has defined the Natural Governing Party of Canada since Trudeau - even Iggy used that term. Even though Mr. Ignatieff was recruited by some of those same aging individuals, I have hopes that the old guard is losing its influence....and that would be a good thing for Canada.

[normanchateau]

"Before the fall fiasco he wasn't exactly loved by the public, but he was widely respected by political observers as a competent manager and a shrewd strategist," Tom Flanagan concludes. "But after his misadventure with the political subsidy issue, many are saying that his strategic sense has been over rated. This is a dangerous development for if you are not to be loved, you must at least be respected."

What's worse, Mr. Flanagan lists the reasons the once-principled leader has "tattered" his credibility by embracing corporate subsidies, violating his own fixed election date law, diving into deficit and breaking election promises on income trust taxation and equalization calculations.

"Taken together, along with other less publicized reversals, they have created a widespread impression that Harper stands for nothing in particular except winning and keeping power. This is a major loss for a political leader who was once seen as a man of conviction."

All is not lost, Mr. Flanagan sighs. If Mr. Harper gets back to his base with moderate conservative policies, ending the partisan trickery and reaching out to opponents, he could still rewrite the premature obituaries.

Of course, the fundamental flaw with Mr. Flanagan's salvage strategy is that Stephen Harper surrounds himself with yes-prime-minister types who tell the boss only what he wants to hear. He's certain to turn a deaf ear to Mr. Flanagan, believing that the solution to having friends like these is to find new friends.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Martin+M...6082/story.html

[Jerry J. Fortin]

It seems that something is in the wings! Questions about campaign spending tend to lead one to believe that the government is taking steps in preparation.

[Topaz]

Elections Canada is just being more cautious about money and elections, here's the full story...... http://www.canadaeast.com/news/article/702705

[Dave_ON]

Elections Canada is just being more cautious about money and elections, here's the full story...... http://www.canadaeast.com/news/article/702705

Agreed this is the scandal that wasn't. Since the in and out scandal from the CPC which is still in court, Elections Canada is scrutinizing spending more so than they have in the past.

[bjre]

Agreed this is the scandal that wasn't. Since the in and out scandal from the CPC which is still in court, Elections Canada is scrutinizing spending more so than they have in the past.

just looking for others scandal justify yourself's

[Shady]

It DOES seem like a lot of money for buttons, posters and brochures

I smell another sponsorship scandal. Does this remind anyone else of Chretien's $100 golf balls?

[Dave_ON]

I smell another sponsorship scandal. Does this remind anyone else of Chretien's $100 golf balls?

A closer approximation is the yet unresolved CPC "In and Out" Scandal.

[Topaz]

A closer approximation is the yet unresolved CPC "In and Out" Scandal.

True and I think the CPC owes Canadians 1.2 Mil if found guilty,but that won't even start to help the INTEREST on the deficit!