OTTAWA -- Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says it's "very concerning" that the Commissioner of Canada Elections is investigating an anti-abortion group over its volunteer activities during the 2019 federal election, warning that the move could send a "negative signal" to potential grassroots political volunteers.
His comments came after the National Post first reported that the elections watchdog is looking into Ottawa-based RightNow over allegations that they connected their volunteers with more than 50 anti-abortion campaign teams during the last election.
"We're very concerned about any type of negative signal this sends to people who are trying to be engaged in the electoral process and volunteering in election campaigns," Scheer said during a Monday press conference.
CTVNews.ca has obtained a letter addressed to RightNow co-founder Scott Hayward that details the allegations and is signed by Mylène Gigou, a director of investigations with the Commissioner of Canada Elections. The letter alleges that the group violated the Canada Elections Act when they allegedly "recruited, trained and coordinated volunteers that were directed to over 50 campaigns during the 43rd General Election period."
The letter claims this "provided these campaigns with a partisan benefit that circumvented the prohibition against…a Third Party making a non-monetary contribution to a candidates' campaign."
Hayward told CTVNews.ca in an interview that he "didn't feel good about it" when he got the letter.
"I was surprised, because we had reached out to Elections Canada prior to the issuance of the writ to make sure that what we were about to engage in was in fact in line with the Act," Hayward said.
He agreed with Scheer that the investigation could send a negative signal to those looking to get involved in the political process at the grassroots level.
"I would agree with the comment, definitely, that it could…have a chilling effect on people from wanting to get involved with the political process, whether they’re pro-life or not, whether they support Conservatives or they support other political parties," Hayward said.
RightNow is prepared to co-operate with the investigation, according to a letter sent from their counsel Albertos Polizogopoulos to Gigou. The letter, which was also obtained by CTVNews.ca, questions the motivations of the investigation.
"This investigation appears to be itself partisan and politically motivated," the letter read, before questioning whether similar investigations are being conducted into multiple union groups that it claims have worked to support the Liberals or the NDP in previous elections.
Scheer echoed the question during his Monday press conference, asking if the commissioner will also be looking into groups that were vocally opposed to the Conservatives during the last election.
"I would be curious to know whether or not Elections Canada is also going to investigate…groups who have made their priority very well-known, their express purpose of their activities, to defeat Conservatives and elect Liberals. So I look forward to Elections Canada, showing that kind of fairness and applying the same logic to all groups," Scheer asserted.
While Hayward said his group's volunteer work was aimed at helping anti-abortion candidates regardless of party, he did say the volunteers did not assist with any NDP or Liberal campaigns.
CTV News reached out to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections for comment on this investigation. Beyond confirming that Mylène Gigou, the signatory of the letter sent to Hayward, was indeed the director of investigations for the Commissioner of Canada Elections, the office would not comment on the investigation itself.
"In keeping with the confidentiality provisions of the Canada Elections Act (the Act), the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections does not provide details related to its investigative work," said Myriam Croussette, a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections, in an emailed statement sent to CTVNews.ca.
"It is only in the event of formal compliance or enforcement measures – following the conclusion of an investigation – that the Commissioner makes information available to the public on its website."
