Elections BC is reviewing new allegations of campaign violations by Vancouver-Fraserview MLA Kash Heed just days after his former aides pleaded guilty to breaking election rules.
The elections agency said Monday in a written statement that chief electoral officer Keith Archer has received two requests to look deeper into allegations of further violations by Heed, a former solicitor general and West Vancouver police chief.
The requests were made by NDP Opposition critic Leonard Krog, and Gabriel Yiu, the former New Democrat candidate who lost to Heed in the 2009 B.C. election.
During question period in the B.C. legislature, Krog called on the government to appoint a special prosecutor to examine reports that up to $40,000 in campaign spending is not accounted for.
"Can she advise this house if a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate these serious allegations?" said Krog.
Attorney General Shirley Bond said the Heed matter has already been the subject of investigations by special prosecutors and the Mounties and their work is complete. She said if Krog has additional information about the Heed campaign he should take it to the authorities.
Krog's letter to Elections BC said: "In light of new allegations made on the public record by Barinder Sall, campaign manager for the member for Vancouver-Fraserview, I am writing to request that you undertake an investigation of further allegations of violations of the Election Act by Mr. Kash Heed."
Krog cited media reports that included interviews with Sall, who claimed the Heed campaign still has up to $40,000 in unaccounted expenses.
Sall was fined $15,000 Friday in provincial court after admitting violating laws covering campaign spending and advertising, as well as misleading investigators. He was also placed on probation for one year.
Printer Dinesh Khanna was fined $6,000 and placed on probation for three months.
They were charged after anonymous pamphlets were distributed in the Vancouver-Fraserview riding during the 2009 campaign attacking Yiu, the NDP candidate.
Heed released a written statement saying the issue has been thoroughly examined, including a forensic audit, and the case should be closed.
"The matter is over and it is time to move forward. The prior decision by the special prosecutor and the court re-affirmed my integrity and I will not be commenting further."
A B.C. Supreme Court decision last August found Heed acted in good faith when it came to expenses related to his 2009 campaign, but the judge ordered him to pay what amounted to double the $5,778.90 his campaign overspent on the $70,000 limit.
"Regardless of Mr. Heed's inexperience in campaigning and his personal good faith in the conduct of his campaign, that campaign has apparently seen a serious breach of a critical provision in the Act," said the written decision by Justice Robert Bauman.
"Responsibility for the conduct of the campaign rests ultimately with the candidate," Bauman stated.
Sall could not be reached for comment.
