Angry in the Great White North

Over $15,000 has disappeared from the coffers of the Liberal Party riding association in London, Ontario. But the real story is the way the riding executive have tried to cover this story up, not just from the press, but specifically from riding members who supplied that money by buying party memberships:

About $16,000 has vanished from a London federal Liberal riding association, triggering a police investigation.

The probe comes amid indications an official with the party's Ontario wing offered a way to keep a lid on the issue.

Fingers are being pointed and aspersions cast among Liberals in advance of the June 28 annual meeting of the Elgin-Middlesex-London federal riding association.

The missing money and actions of the association's board of directors have prompted complaints from rank-and-file Liberals upset at being kept in the dark. They're demanding answers.

"I've never encountered anything like this and I've been in politics since I was 13," said Lois Jackson, a St. Thomas party member.

Jackson is upset the riding executive has said nothing about the matter publicly, despite conducting a nomination meeting in April for which nearly 800 party memberships were sold.

And the coverup?

The Free Press has learned a high-ranking party official tried to solve the problem by offering to cut cheques for the missing money provided local officials agreed to take no further action and considered the matter closed.

A letter from David J. Pretlove, then interim executive director of the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario), offered to cover the missing funds.

That letter was given to the board in January by Suzanne van Bommel, then a member of the board and now also the party's candidate in the riding for the next federal election.

Van Bommel said she presented the offer "on behalf of Mr. Pretlove."

Pretlove is now director of finance and administration for the party's Ontario wing.

I don't know about you, but allegations that the director of finance was offering to cut cheques to cover what to all appearances looked like a massive theft would make me very nervous. That the allegation extends to Pretlove trying to get the riding association to pretend it never happened would make me wonder about the true state of the Liberal Party finances.

I mean, you could ask Pretlove if the books are in good shape, but given the allegations, could you believe anything he tells you? Would you have to do an audit of the LPC(O) books in order to see if there were any mysterious cheques issued to ridings to cover...irregularities?

To the credit of the Liberal riding association in London, the decision was taken to investigate the crime:

Norm Feaver, president of the riding association, said Pretlove's letter prompted vigorous discussion.

In the end, the St. Thomas lawyer said, the board rejected the offer and instead referred the matter to police.

"The board has always been big on transparency," Feaver said, referring to the offer from Pretlove.

"We're not interested in trying to hush things up or anything like that. It's a very simple thing. The board was very clear we wanted it investigated and we were not prepared to sweep it under the carpet."

The funny thing about Pretlove's offer is that, even though it was turned down, the riding association has had its integrity called into question:

Feaver rejected complaints by party members the board is hiding information.

"Nobody on this board has ever suggested that should be covered up," he said.

Still, some riding association members think this is more about politics than sticky fingers:

Another board member, London lawyer Ed Corrigan, said the problem of the missing funds is "internal" board business.

"It's premature to report anything," he said, adding complaints about the situation come from "a few disgruntled people (who) were upset at the way the nomination meeting was handled, so I would take what they say with a grain of salt . . . This is not the sort of thing you discuss with the membership. This is a board matter."

Corrigan insisted those who are upset were supporters of Crispin Colvin, who lost the nomination to van Bommel.

No word if the police are checking local restaurants for brown envelopes.

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