Fundraiser for heritage minister 'crosses the line,' says Liberal MP

Heritage Minister Shelly Glover is under fire from opposition MPs over a fundraising event where members of Winnipeg?s art and culture community were asked to donate money to the cabinet minister -- donations that may have breached federal conflict-of-interest rules.
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CTV News was then asked to leave the house by the homeowner when the reporter asked Glover why she was taking money from people who depend on her department for funding.

According to federal conflict-of-interest rules, cabinet ministers are forbidden to ?to solicit or accept funds from a person or organization who has lobbied or is likely to lobby the public officer holder of the officer or department.? The rules go on to say that a minister must avoid ?situations where issues of preferential treatment of other conflicts could arise.?

It looks like we may just have had our best day, our best month, and our best quarter of the year, and possibly ever.

The highlights:

Best day: On December 31 we raised $614,145.

Best month: Throughout December, an astounding 36,849 donors chipped in an average of $66.93 for a total of over $2.9-million. That means there's a good chance we outraised the Conservatives in December on dollars alone.

Best quarter: Here's the most exciting news. Again this is a preliminary number, but it's looking like between October and December we raised over $4.3-million from 43,000 Canadians.

CTV News was then asked to leave the house by the homeowner when the reporter asked Glover why she was taking money from people who depend on her department for funding.

Opposition MPs said on Friday that the event raises serious ethical questions.

"CDN_PATRIOT" said


Because those do-gooder Lefties are so much more ethical than the right.

MP Dean Del Mastro�s cousin�s company raided by Elections Canada in probe of alleged illegal donations

The investigation was spurred by Ottawa Citizen and Postmedia News reports from 2012 in which former employees claimed the company�s owner, David Del Mastro, asked them to make $1,000 donations to his cousin�s campaign, and were then fully reimbursed by Deltro and given $50 bonuses.

When reached by the Citizen on his cellphone Monday evening, David Del Mastro denied any knowledge of the execution of a search warrant at his company last year.

�I have no idea what you�re talking about,� he said, then added, �Have a good night, you little f�ing motherf�er.�

"CDN_PATRIOT" said


Because those do-gooder Lefties are so much more ethical than the right. I don't care what party a politician works for. They all partake in unethical crap sooner or later. Greed is eternal, and that's way there are so many problems with the world.

-J.

More details emerge into controversial fundraiser for St. Boniface MP Shelly Glover

Groups from the Manitoba arts and culture community, who lobby Ottawa for money, were invited to a fundraiser last week on MP Shelly Glover�s behalf.

Federal rules say cabinet ministers can�t solicit money from anyone who may have lobbied or may lobby them in the future.

Glover and event organizers said the gathering was strictly to raise money for the party�s local riding association, but CTV News obtained information which suggests otherwise.

People who hosted the party told CTV News the event was a fundraiser for the local Conservative riding association and had nothing to do with Glover�s role as minister.

Outside of the event, Glover echoed those sentiments.

"The majority of these people were actually people who were friends of mine or board members or people that have been involved with the Conservative Party,� Glover said.

But the invitation to the fundraiser obtained by CTV News paints a different picture.

"Invitees are primarily members of the cultural community in Winnipeg,� it said. "Shelly is interested in meeting with you and hearing your views."

CTV has confirmed representatives from the Manitoba Theatre Centre, Manitoba Opera and Winnipeg Art Gallery attended.

Glover raised $1,200 at the event, but has instructed organizers to return the money.

Political opponent Dan Vandal said that�s not good enough.

�It�s clearly against the rules,� said Vandal, who currently represents St. Boniface as city councillor.

Vandal hopes to win the Liberal nomination to run against Glover in the next federal election.

He said the fundraiser put those organizations in an awkward spot to either attend it, or not go and potentially risk losing future funding.

"You can't sell access to a minister exclusively to the people who rely on the ministry for very survival," said Vandal.

One member of the Winnipeg Art Gallery who was invited to attend but chose not to is WAG chair Brian Bowman, who told CTV News he didn�t feel comfortable going to it.

The federal ethics commissioner is reviewing a request to look at the event. Opposition parties in Ottawa have filed complaints.

Glover wrote a letter to the ethics commissioner, letting that office know about the event and what steps she has taken to deal with the matter, including ordering the $1,200 be returned to donors.

Glover�s office said the minister did not know people from the arts and culture community would be at the party until she arrived.

Conservative MP Leona Aglukkaq, the minister of economic development for the North, attended a fundraiser in her honour Tuesday evening where guests included the very people who receive funding from her department.
After Aglukkaq learned that CTV News had staked out the fundraiser at an upscale Ottawa hotel, she entered through a shopping mall entrance rather than the hotel�s front doors.
Guests donated $100 to attend the event with Aglukkaq, who is also the environment minister, and will get a $50 tax break.
One of the special guests was Nellie Cournoyea, the former premier of the Northwest Territories and now the chair of Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, which received more than $200,000 in funding from Aglukkaq�s department last year.
Under federal government conflict of interest rules, cabinet ministers should not �solicit or accept funds from a person or organization who has lobbied or is likely to lobby the public office holders or their office, department or committee.�
The rules also say ministers must avoid �situations where issues of preferential treatment or other conflicts of interest could arise.�
Tuesday�s fundraiser coincided with the Northern Lights trade conference in Ottawa.
Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna said he attended the event because it�s smart politics.
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Another cabinet minister, Shelly Glover, recently landed in hot water over a fundraiser held in her name, where members of Winnipeg�s art and culture community were asked to donate money.
As the federal heritage minister, Glover�s portfolio oversees issues related to culture.
Federal Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson said she would investigate the Glover fundraiser, which was held at a private home, to see if it violated the Conflict of Interest Act.

"jj2424" said
They should make like a Liberal and just steal it.

Sure funny how the CBC never carries the story of this thief. They must have direct orders from the LPC.


http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/12/10 ... -of-fraud/