Manitoba Tories say vehicle rental a legitimate 2023 election expense, despite ties to intimacy coach

A curious election expense that appeared to suggest Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives paid for the help of an intimacy coach was actually the result of the wrong letterhead on an invoice, the party says. 

The expense came to light after a former PC employee flagged questionable accounting practices, including an invoice for a "car rental" from a company whose website touted no vehicles, but rather the services of an intimacy coach.

The Winnipeg Sun published a story about the expense on Sunday, prompting the governing New Democrats to file a complaint with the province's election commissioner alleging the Tories forged financial documents related to last year's election campaign. The NDP said those actions violate the province's Election Financing Act.

Christopher Kamanga, the former PC employee, told the newspaper he brought his concerns to senior party officials on several occasions, but his complaints were brushed off. 

"Can you imagine if donors knew their funds were used to pay for this," Kamanga asked party president Brent Pooles in one email, the newspaper reported.

The invoice was issued by a company called Lucid Vitality, a sole proprietorship owned by Chelsy Brause. The website listed on the invoice advertised the services of a sex and intimacy coach. 

'Falsifying the financial record'

When Kamanga pressed party CEO Michele Halverson on the expense, he questioned in his email how the party could approve an election expense for a vehicle when the company appeared to provide different services.

He also wondered how the party could spend $3,800 on a vehicle rental for an election campaign that lasted four weeks. 

"Recording this transaction as a car rental would be falsifying the financial record," Kamanga said in an Aug. 22 email.

Halverson said in response the company owner "obviously used the wrong letterhead on this invoice" and the "correct one" would be sent as soon as possible.

Kamanga said he never received the corrected invoice.

His employment with the Tories ended in February 2024. He has since filed a complaint with Manitoba's employment standards branch where, among other things, he alleges he wasn't paid for vacation time or severance, the newspaper reported.

Attempts by CBC News to reach Kamanga on Monday were not successful.

Interim leader addresses discrepancy

Interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko said the party indeed rented a vehicle, which the Tories said was used by campaign volunteers travelling to election events and announcements, but the intimacy coach had other business interests.

"The request was made by the CEO of the party to get a corrected invoice with the correct business on the letterhead," he said.

The proper invoice was forwarded to Elections Manitoba in time for its review, the Tories said. 

Ewasko added he's disappointed the party appeared to dismiss the former employee's complaints.

Kamanga also alleged the Tories engaged in other questionable accounting practices, the Winnipeg Sun said. Several invoices lacked proper documentation, such as contact information, GST numbers, or the inclusion of the GST, while three invoices were identical, aside from the invoice number.

The newspaper said some of the questionable invoices were from a "company affiliated with a well-known politician," but it didn't elaborate. 

Ewasko said the accounting mishaps are frustrating.

"We need to do better. We need to do far better. We need to be more transparent and accountable to not only our accounting practices, but at the same time making sure that we're transparent to our members."

He said senior party officials met to discuss the newspaper's reporting and understand what transpired.

Ewasko said the Tories would scrutinize their accounting practices as part of the committee he's previously tasked with reviewing the party's loss of the 2023 provincial election and 2024 byelection in Tuxedo.

During question period Monday, the NDP repeatedly brought up the allegations of falsified campaign expenses, while the PCs tried to hammer the government on crime.

Speaking before Ewasko, Finance Minister Adrien Sala said he was concerned the Tories broke the law, and the party would have received a public subsidy for the money. In Manitoba, eligible political parties receive a rebate of 25 per cent of their election spending reimbursed.

Sala said the Tories have an obligation to prove the expense was legitimate.

A copy of the corrected invoice, which the PCs provided to CBC News, lists "Chelsy Brause" in the letterhead, rather than the company "Lucid Vitality." The description is for a "car rental" and no other details are provided. 

The NDP asked elections commissioner Bill Bowles to investigate the alleged violation. He told the NDP Monday his office would look into the complaint.

In response to a question from CBC about whether his involvement rises to the level of a formal investigation, Bowles said in an emailed statement he does not comment on whether he is investigating any particular matter.