May 26 and 27, 2008 - Maxime Bernier resigned as Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister after learning his ex-girlfriend Julie Couillard would reveal in a televised interview that he left sensitive documents at her home.
May 8 and 9, 2008 - The Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois attack the government over Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier’s former relationship with a woman who had personal ties to Quebec bikers in the 1990’s.
The government refused to answer the questions claiming they inappropriately malign the reputation of an innocent woman.
Questions about national security?
The Liberals and the Bloc insist the issue raises national security concerns, but the NDP say they are uncomfortable pursuing this line of questioning.
April 15 to 17, 2008 -The RCMP searched Conservative Party Headquarters executing a warrant obtained by Elections Canada.
Elections Canada has not revealed the reason for the raid, and the affidavit used to obtain the search warrant has been sealed in a Toronto court.
The RCMP say the Mounties were merely assisting with the Elections Canada warrant:
It is not an RCMP investigation. We’re there to assist, but that’s it.
- RCMP Cpl. Jean Hainey
The Conservative Party is suing Elections Canada over an August 2007 ruling by the agency that disallowed rebates claimed for election spending during the 2006 election.
Conservatives claim other political parties follow the same practices, and they accuse Elections Canada of applying different standards to the Conservative Party.
The Tories say Elections Canada improperly seized confidential legal documents related to their civil dispute, and they claim the timing of the search is suspicious coming just one day before Elections Canada officials were to be cross-examined by Conservative lawyers.
The situation has led to speculation that Elections Canada is acting out a vendetta against Conservatives over past disagreements.
Links:
Stephen Harper’s August 2001 fundraising letter in which he says “the jackasses at Elections Canada are out of control.”