Elections watchdog investigating supporter's offer of no-interest loans for Manitoba PC Party memberships

Manitoba's elections watchdog is investigating a claim that a supporter of Ken Lee — who was disqualified as a candidate for the provincial Progressive Conservative Party's leadership — offered to buy other people's memberships, which appears to be illegal.

Manitoba's Elections Financing Act describes buying a membership as a contribution to a political party, and states a person making a contribution must use their own money.

"I don't think anyone in Manitoba believes that you should be able to buy your way into the premier's office," Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew said at a Thursday news conference outside the Tory party's headquarters on Kennedy Street in Winnipeg.

"And I don't think anyone in this province wants to see who the next premier is decided by what could be illegal means."

The Manitoba Elections Commissioner told the NDP it was looking into the matter, Kinew told reporters.

Last month, a supporter of Lee said on social media he was offering to pay for people's $20 memberships in order to support the potential candidate, who was the former chief financial officer of the PC party and had expressed anti-COVID-19-vaccine views. 

When reached by the Winnipeg Free Press, the Lee supporter said he was told by the candidate's team he couldn't buy other people's memberships, so instead said he was offering a zero-interest, 100-year loan.

In its complaint to the elections commissioner, the NDP said the peculiar terms of the loan show any recipient was not realistically expected to pay back the $20 membership fee.

Told supporter to drop offer: campaign manager

Lee's campaign manager, Todd Dube, says he demanded the individual stop offering to pay for anyone's memberships shortly after the offer was made.

On Thursday, Dube forwarded a letter he sent to the PC party on Sept. 15, the night the newspaper's story was published online. According to Dube's letter, the supporter said the loan was only extended to one person, who said he represented a family of four who wanted memberships.

Dube's letter asked the party to reject those memberships, if they were purchased at all. The party has not confirmed the number of memberships potentially involved.

The PC Party said it complained to the elections commissioner after becoming aware of the loan offer. 

"The Leadership Election Committee has no jurisdiction to make a ruling on the legality of this situation but despite that, it is not prepared to condone or accept that type of behaviour," a party statement said.

The party has recommended the individuals involved be removed as members. 

The current race for leadership of the governing party was triggered when then-premier Brian Pallister announced in August that he planned to retire.

The party will elect its new leader — who will become Manitoba's premier — on Oct. 30.

Lee was eventually barred from running in the leadership race by the party, which will choose either MLA Heather Stefanson or former Conservative MP Shelly Glover as the next Tory leader.

Under the PC Party's one-member, one-vote system, each member holds the same weight in the vote for the next party leader. Lee had signed up more than 4,000 members, according to party members who spoke to CBC News.

Return money for 'illegitimate' memberships: NDP

Kinew called on the Progressive Conservatives to renounce any "illegitimate" memberships and return the money.

"If these memberships were illegitimate that means that the PC party is carrying out illegitimate fundraising," he said.

"It would be serious at any time, but the fact that the premier's chair potentially hangs in the balance just gives it that added urgency."

It appears the supporter's social media post making the offer has since been deleted.