Tory witnesses spurn ethics committee

TIM NAUMETZ The Canadian Press

12 Aug 2008 OTTAWA — A parliamentary inquiry into the Conservative "in and out" election scheme descended into chaos Tuesday when four Tory witnesses failed to appear and the inquiry chair accused the governing party of ordering their absence.

NDP MP Pat Martin said he suspected a Tory "conspiracy" aimed at thwarting the inquiry into questionable campaign expenses. However, Conservatives said the inquiry is partisan and "illegal."

Committee chairman Paul Szabo surprised MPs and observers when he abruptly banged his gavel and adjourned the morning hearing moments after its start. The four chairs for the Conservative party election agents who were supposed to testify sat empty.

Outside the committee room, Mr. Szabo said all four had been issued summonses. Their failure to show suggested that other witnesses were accurate when they said the Conservative party instructed them not to come, the chairman added.

The inquiry is looking into allegations the Conservative party illegally skirted its spending limit for the 2006 election by transferring $1.3-million to 67 local candidates, then quickly taking the money back to pay for radio and television ads produced for the national campaign.

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