Conservative Party scolds MP Rob Anders for 'misleading' calls

Conservative Party officials are chastising Tory MP Rob Anders for what they say were misleading phone calls placed during a heated nomination battle — a pointed message that they want the race to be fair and open.

Anders' campaign for the nomination in Calgary Signal Hill placed calls to party members last week that left the impression they were calling from rival Ron Liepert's campaign.

• MP Rob Anders says 'temporary Tories' hijacking nomination battle
• Anders' campaign making impersonating calls, claims competitor Ron Liepert

Liepert, a former provincial cabinet minister challenging Anders for the Conservative nomination, lodged a complaint with Elections Canada earlier this week.

On his campaign website, Anders responds to Liepert’s complaint, saying his volunteers were just trying to gauge support for their candidate.

The website includes a link to the script used by his callers. The opening lines include this sentence: “Can Ron Liepert count on your support in the upcoming Conservative Party of Canada nomination meeting?”

The Canadian Press has obtained a letter sent to Anders by the party's powerful National Candidate Selection Committee that describes the script for the calls as inaccurate and misleading.

The letter goes on to say that Anders' campaign has an obligation to be accurate when communicating with party members.

Earlier this week, Anders said he was seeking legal advice in light of Liepert's accusations about the calls.

At a news conference on Thursday in Calgary, Anders also said he has compiled a list of what he calls "temporary Tories" — non-conservative residents of the riding who have joined the party just to prevent him from winning the nomination.

Dan Morrison, a former president for the board of directors of the Conservative electoral district association in Anders' riding, has said he will also challenge Anders in the upcoming nomination vote on April 12.