Police probe alleged Tory link to mayoralty offer

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http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

The Ontario Provincial Police are investigating a sworn affidavit claiming one of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's closest advisers was allegedly involved in a bid to buy off a candidate in Ottawa' recent municipal election.

Terry Kilrea ran for Ottawa mayor in 2006, but eventually dropped out. After the election, Kilrea claimed that winning candidate Larry O'Brien offered to cover his campaign expenses if Kilrae dropped out.

Kilrea also said O'Brien promised to arrange to have him appointed to the National Parole Board. In an affidavit, Kilrea names Reynolds as the federal contact who would help carry out that plan.

"I asked how my name would be put in the queue for the National Parole Board, and it was related to me that John Reynolds had arranged it," Kilrea told CTV News on Monday from his home in Ottawa.



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"I didn't arrange anything for Mr. Kilrea," Reynolds told Canada AM Tuesday. "I don't know him. if i was to bump into him, i wouldn't know who he was. i don't remember even discussing him with anybody, so I don't know where he would get that from."

Kilrea admitted to CTV that he has never spoken directly to Reynolds. "He probably wouldn't know me if he stepped over me," Kilrea said.

In his affidavit sworn out on Dec. 20, 2006, Kilrea alleges he was offered the parole board job during a meeting last summer with O'Brien at a coffee shop.


At approximately 2 p.m. later that day (July 5, 2006), O'Brien called to advise that my name had been put forward for an appointment to the National Parole Board,'' says the affidavit.
"When I asked how this was possible, he responded that he had spoken to John Reynolds. He then instructed me to call John Baird, President of the Treasury Board, and to tell him that my name 'was in the queue' for an appointment to the board.''

Kilrea says he then emailed Baird, but was told by the Treasury Board president that he knew nothing about the matter

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If true, such an arrangement would amount to a possible breach of the Criminal Code as well as the Ontario Municipal Elections Act. But none of the allegations have been proven in court, nor have they resulted in any charges.

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More here: http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Ottawa...43992-sun.html

[calculoso]

Depends how you want to spin it:

Reynolds says the story simply isn't true.

"I didn't arrange anything for Mr. Kilrea," Reynolds told Canada AM Tuesday. "I don't know him. if i was to bump into him, i wouldn't know who he was. i don't remember even discussing him with anybody, so I don't know where he would get that from."

Kilrea admitted to CTV that he has never spoken directly to Reynolds. "He probably wouldn't know me if he stepped over me," Kilrea said.

O'Brien has rejected allegations that he tried to pay off Kilrea to leave the race. He told reporters today that he is "delighted" by the news that an investigation has been launched, saying he trusts it will be completed in a "timely manner."

"It's an old story that keeps popping its ugly head up, and let's get some clarity and some finality to it," he said. "At first I ignored it, but if this keeps popping up I don't think the citizens of Ottawa want it; I don't want it. So I welcome this."

So, there may be a big issue here, or there may just be one person trying to make a name for himself. All depends on how it's spun.

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by calculoso

So, there may be a big issue here, or there may just be one person trying to make a name for himself. All depends on how it's spun.

Yup. It will have to see how it pans out....