Former B.C. solicitor general Kash Heed says he didn't know about a controversial election pamphlet at the centre of an RCMP investigation that has forced him to step down from his cabinet post.
Heed resigned last week, after revealing he was part of the RCMP investigation prompted by a complaint about the pamphlet sent out to Chinese-Canadian voters in his riding during last year's campaign.
The sensational mail-out accused the New Democrats of planning to legalize illegal drugs, including heroin and cocaine, and said the party would also consider bringing in an inheritance tax.
"I recall seeing it shortly after the election," said Heed Monday. "It was in some Chinese media. We had nothing to do with it. I had nothing to do with it. The campaign didn't endorse anything of that nature. We never would."
Heed, who won the riding by fewer than 750 votes over his New Democrat rival, said he was not even aware of the pamphlet until after last May's vote.
"It was not part of my campaign whatsoever," he said.
Premier Gordon Campbell said he did not know about the election pamphlet until hearing media reports last weekend.
"I'm not going to comment on it," he said. "I'm going to let the RCMP do their job. I think that's what's appropriate."
The Opposition New Democrats said they filed complaints to Elections BC about the financing of the pamphlet that circulated in Heed's Vancouver-Fraserview riding days prior to the vote, in which Heed defeated New Democrat candidate Gabriel Yiu.
Heed, a former police chief and star Liberal candidate in the May 2009 vote, announced his resignation Friday.
RCMP confirmed a commercial crimes unit investigation and the criminal justice branch announced a special prosecutor has been appointed to oversee the case.
Heed said at the time that he had no idea what allegations prompted the investigation, but he was adamant that, whatever they are, he had nothing to do with them.
Lawyer Terrence Robertson was appointed special prosecutor in January, and the RCMP started their investigation within weeks of last May's election, which returned the Liberals to power for a third term.
Heed was the third Liberal solicitor general forced to resign amid allegations of wrongdoing in the past two years.
John Les resigned from the post in March 2008 after it was revealed he was part of an RCMP investigation that alleged he improperly benefited from land deals while he was serving as mayor of Chilliwack.
And John van Dongen resigned as solicitor general in April 2009 after it was revealed he lost his driver's licence for numerous speeding tickets. He was serving as Superintendent of Motor Vehicles at the time.
Attorney General Mike de Jong has been temporarily appointed to the post.
