NDP lobs ‘influence peddling’ claim; Tories shoot back

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This article was published 15/08/2023 (801 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE NDP has accused unelected Progressive Conservative candidates of taking credit for government grants in their constituencies — which it calls “influence peddling” and illegal action under the Election Financing Act.

“They are using and abusing the power of government with taxpayer money,” NDP MLA Mark Wasyliw said at a news conference Tuesday that included candidates and caucus members.

“This is not their money. This is not PC party money. This is your money, and they’re using it to try and influence organizations and change their vote,” Wasyliw said outside the Fort Garry Community Centre, which is in his constituency.

The party has filed a complaint with Manitoba’s elections commissioner.

Deputy premier Cliff Cullen, speaking on behalf of the PC party, said the NDP’s claims are false, and that the complaint is “frivolous.”

The complaint includes several examples of alleged violations of the law in which PC candidates announce or take credit for government Arts, Culture and Sport in Community (ACSC) grants to groups in their constituencies.

“As your Manitoba PC Candidate for Fort Garry, I have been given the utmost pleasure to represent the government in congratulating you and the entire (redacted) with being awarded $27,409.46 in funding to replace your (redacted),” Rick Shone wrote in a July 31 email to a group whose name was redacted.

His email was sent to the recipients on the same day the Tory government issued a news release that listed the groups set to receive the grants.

“As a next step to documenting this exciting new process, I would like to set up a time to arrange a meeting with you and any members that may want to join to congratulate you in person and have a tour…” Shone’s email, which was obtained by the NDP, said.

The second instance involves an Aug. 1 social media post by Alan McLauchlan, the PC candidate for The Pas-Kameesack.

“As the Progressive Conservative candidate for the riding it was my privilege to reach out to the successful recipients of the Arts, Culture and Sports in the Community fund in the area,” he wrote.

His post went on to list the groups that received funding. “I am happy that our PC government has developed this fund after years of neglect by former governments.”

Selkirk PC candidate Richard Perchotte posted a photo of himself on Aug. 3 in which he hands a cheque to a government grant recipient in his community.

Jeff Bereza, who is running for the PCs in Portage la Prairie, posted online that he was “so pleased to be able to share some great news with three local organizations” which each received $25,000 in government grants in the constituency. Bereza, who has not been elected and is not in government, writes that the fund was created “by our PC government because we saw a need to support organizations exactly like these.”

Lauren Stone, who is running for the PCs in Midland, presented the “MLA bursary for excellence in writing” to the recipient at a school in the constituency, then posted about it on social media in June.

In their complaint to elections commissioner Bill Bowles, the Manitoba NDP asks that an investigation be conducted immediately to hold the PC government to account.

“It is a basic democratic principle that a ruling political party cannot funnel taxpayer dollars to their unelected candidates for partisan use,” said the letter, which was dated Tuesday.

The Election Financing Act says only “an individual normally resident in Manitoba may make a contribution… A person or organization, other than an individual normally resident in Manitoba, must not make a contribution.”

As an organization, the government of Manitoba cannot give a contribution to a candidate, said Wasyliw.

None of the grant recipients that were announced in July have received cheques to date, said the press secretary to the executive council of government on Tuesday.

“Successful recipients of the ACSC fund will receive funding once they enter into a contribution agreement with the government, and that process is expected to take a couple of months,” Brant Batters wrote in an email.

Cullen, who is not seeking re-election Oct. 3, didn’t apologize for candidates touting the government funding.

“Our PC team will continue to highlight the investments we’re making to enhance arts, culture and sport throughout the province, and encourage our candidates to share the good news,” Cullen said in a statement.

Political studies Prof. Royce Koop said he’s not convinced the governing Tories broke the election rules, but he said a party in power needs to be careful not to offend voters.

“I think the complaint is a bit of a stretch,” the University of Manitoba professor said. “The government can get whoever they want to announce something or to send out a letter. The argument that there’s some kind of an in-kind contribution to these candidates — I don’t think that’s very convincing,” he said.

“From a political perspective, I think the parties need to be careful about the appearance in these sorts of situations,” Koop said. “They want to make sure they’re not being seen as taking advantage of the perks of office, to put their thumbs on the scale in the upcoming election. That, to me, is the concern.”

Wasyliw called it “old-fashioned” influence peddling and “pork-barrel politics.”

“Why this is so dangerous, why this is so important, and why we should take this so seriously is that it completely erodes the public’s trust in their government,” he said. “It gives cynical people another reason not to vote and not to participate in the democratic process.”

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca