One year after Elections Canada started an investigation into Conservative MP Dean del Mastro’s campaign spending, he says he’s still waiting for a resolution.
Del Mastro said that as soon as he learned of the investigation he reached out to the agency, asking for a meeting and providing them with “every possible document that they’ve asked for.”
“Far from running away from it, I’ve run? toward it,” he told Power Play on Wednesday.
But he said Elections Canada won’t talk to him about the investigation, and his lawyer has been unable to arrange a meeting with the agency.
“They won’t talk to him either,” del Mastro said.
The Elections Canada investigation centres on allegations that del Mastro exceeded his campaign spending limit by paying a polling firm $21,000 from his personal bank account, while his campaign return shows $1,575 was given to the company.
Del Mastro said the $21,000 was a deposit cheque.
“Part of it was for my electoral district association, part of it was for my constituency office,” he said. “It’s just a deposit. It’s not uncommon for persons in my position to pay up front, and then to receive reimbursement from either the association or from the House of Commons, if it’s an MP expenditure.”
The MP was a frequent guest on Power Play and other political shows, but appeared to fade from view after Elections Canada started its probe.
“I’ve taken a step back because I’ve wanted the story to be about the government’s agenda,” he said.
