November 2006 – April 2007

Various information requests from Elections Canada Financing and Audit branch to the Party and some local candidates about the regional media buys (RMBs); further information and documents are provided, and some discussions held.

Late April

Chief Electoral Officer issues letters to a number of local campaigns stating that Elections Canada will not recognize the RMB expenditure as part of the local campaign; no reasons given.

May 11, 2007

Most of those local campaigns commence a Federal Court application to challenge the decision of Elections Canada.  (For convenience, the number of participating campaigns has since been reduced to a representative two.)

May 17, 2007 (date per Elections Canada affidavit, page 7, para 5)

The Financing and Audit branch refers the RMB expenditure to the Commissioner’s office for investigation.

Post-May 2007-

Investigators have not made a single request for interviews to personnel of the national party or to obtain documents from the national party, until the surprise execution of the warrant  on April 15.  Cross-examination on the affidavits in the Federal Court case had been due to start the next day, April 16, but had to be canceled.

Just to recap.  The Conservatives ask for a refund.  Elections Canada says no, but takes no further action.  The Conservatives say they are owed the money, that Elections Canada is not interpreting the law correctly, and goes to court.  A week later, Elections Canada decides that "No" was not enough, and that an investigation is required.  Elections Canada makes no attempt to interview party officials until the day before Elections Canada officials were to be deposed.  All the deposition material disappears. 

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