Shelly Glover rejects accusation of improper fundraising for Tory leadership battle
Another clash has erupted in the battle over the leadership of Manitoba's governing Progressive Conservatives.
A longtime party member has filed a complaint with the provincial elections commissioner, alleging that losing candidate Shelly Glover is not following financing rules in her legal challenge of the result that saw Heather Stefanson take over as Tory leader and premier.
Glover denies the accusation, which she calls "fiction," and says she acted on advice from Elections Manitoba.
Glover lost the leadership vote in a close race, garnering 49 per cent of the vote to Stefanson's 51 per cent on Oct. 30. She is asking the Court of Queen's Bench to toss out the results and order a new vote, alleging there were irregularities in the way the ballots were counted and kept secure.
Glover launched an online fundraising effort to help pay for her legal challenge, and has so far raised close to $42,000.
Darren Penner, a party member who at one time supported Glover's campaign, alleges the online fundraising effort is not following some of the rules for leadership contests, such as a $3,000 limit on donations and a requirement that money only be taken from Manitoba residents. The online fundraiser lists many anonymous donations and at least one donation of $5,000.
Penner points out the leadership contest period under elections law continues to run for two months after the race is decided.
He also alleges that, alternatively, if the fundraising for the legal challenge is not deemed part of the leadership contest, Glover should not be allowed to use the logos or list of supporters from her campaign.
"If the (online fundraising) is not related to the campaign, then the campaign logos and supporter list cannot be used to solicit donations, as they are property of the campaign, not Shelly Glover personally," Penner wrote in his letter.
Glover said Monday she had not received a copy of Penner's letter. She said both grounds for the complaint are baseless. She sought advice from Elections Manitoba before launching the online fundraiser, she said.
"I wanted to get those answers, to make sure I am following the rules," Glover said.
Glover provided a Nov. 18 letter from Debbie MacKenzie, the deputy chief electoral officer at Elections Manitoba. The letter says based on the information the agency had available at the time, funds raised after a leadership race for a legal challenge would not be considered donations or contributions under the Election Financing Act, and would therefore not be subject to the law's limits.
Glover also said there is no rule against continuing to use the logo from her leadership campaign. She said the email list she is using to solicit donations for her legal challenge is not from her campaign, but a compilation of people who have supported her since she entered politics over a decade ago.
Elections commissioner Bill Bowles would not comment on the complaint Monday. He does not publicly comment on complaints or investigations as a rule.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.