Immigration Minister Jason Kenney was in the hot seat Friday, as opposition MPs demand his resignation the day after he was accused of using his official MP letterhead to solicit funds for a pre-election ad campaign.
Kenney is accused of breaking parliamentary rules, after his staffers hand-delivered the fundraising letter to New Democrat MP Linda Duncan. It is believed the letter was intended for Tory MP John Duncan.
During question period Friday, Bloc MP Pierre Paquette rose in the House of Commons, demanding to know if Kenney will resign his post.
In response, Conservative House Leader John Baird called the matter both "serious" and "unacceptable," but indicated his party has already done what it's going to do.
"The Minister's assistant has already tendered his resignation to the minister and it has been accepted," Baird said in French.
When pressed, Baird insisted Kenney "did the right thing.
"But I must be very clear, the minister of immigration is one of the best ministers of immigration," Baird said.
"He works hard for all Canadians in all provinces."
NDP MP Pat Martin has been calling loudly for Kenney's resignation, saying the immigration minister abused the power of his office.
"Nobody should have to tell a minister of the crown the impropriety of using your parliamentary resources for purely partisan political purposes," he said. "But there's a greater offence . . . it's orchestrating their whole ethnic, multicultural strategy for the next election out of the Parliament Hill office of the minister of immigration.
"It's an abuse of office and a breach of trust."
Election plans laid bare
Besides going to the wrong addressee, the letter soliciting $200,000 in donations from various Conservative riding associations for a "Conservative Ethnic Paid Media Strategy" was printed on Kenney's official MP letterhead.
Besides breaching the rule that prevents MPs from using their office to raise partisan donations, the letter was also sent with an attachment outlining the party's plans for a $378,000 "pre-writ" campaign aimed at wooing ethnic voters between now and the end of March.
The Tory document notes there is a growing population of ethnic voters in Canada and "they live where we need to win."
It mentions the ethnic diversity of both Toronto and Vancouver and lists 10 "very ethnic" target ridings.
Those ridings are Bramalea-Gore-Malton, Brampton-Springdale, Eglinton-Lawrence, Richmond Hill and York Centre in Ontario; Newton-North Delta, Burnaby-Douglas, and Vancouver South in British Columbia; Mount Royal in Quebec, and Elmwood-Winnipeg in Manitoba.
The document notes the Tories are doing poorly at garnering the South Asian vote around Toronto.
"We are losing," the document says. "(But) we are losing less badly now."
Although the ruling Conservatives insist they are not interested in a Spring election, the two-week media buy that the letter suggests will start on March 15, is timed to coincide with the time many anticipate the writ will drop.
"Given the current political environment, we hope to have commitments by March 11, 2011," said the letter. "We know that this is a short period of time, but we would be grateful if you could reach out to your EDA (Electoral District Association) and seek their support for this project."
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will introduce the government's budget on March 22, opening the door to a confidence vote that could trigger an election soon after.
The Conservatives have been fending off election-related scandal since last week, when it was revealed four senior party members have been charged by Elections Canada in connection with overspending during the 2006 election campaign.
