Letter to Harper targets MP

Letter to Harper targets MP
RICHARD ROLKE Vernon Morning Star
Oct 18 2006

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is being asked to take action over allegations that MP Colin Mayes wasn’t upfront about his role in a court case.

Thirty-three members of the Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative Association have signed a letter to Harper, stating they have “grave concerns regarding our MP, Colin Mayes. This matter could seriously jeopardize his re-election and the hopes of the Conservative Party to form a majority government in the next election.”

Letter to Harper targets MP
RICHARD ROLKE Vernon Morning Star
Oct 18 2006

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is being asked to take action over allegations that MP Colin Mayes wasn’t upfront about his role in a court case.

Thirty-three members of the Okanagan-Shuswap Conservative Association have signed a letter to Harper, stating they have “grave concerns regarding our MP, Colin Mayes. This matter could seriously jeopardize his re-election and the hopes of the Conservative Party to form a majority government in the next election.”

The letter refers to statements allegedly made by Mayes at two meetings in which he was seeking the party’s nomination.

“At both meetings, he adamantly denied being named as defendant in a statement of claim in the Supreme Court of B.C. He, in fact, falsely advised over 300 members that the defendant was the City of Salmon Arm. As is clearly revealed in the attached statement of claim, it was indeed Mr. Mayes, and not the City of Salmon Arm, that was named as a defendant,” it states.

The statement of claim — filed by Greg Husband, a former Salmon Arm mayoralty candidate — refers to a Nov. 15, 2005 letter written by Mayes, who was mayor at the time.

The statement says, “The plaintiff, being a resident in a small community, feels that he has suffered damage to his reputation and good standing in the community, especially since the defendant and author of the letter, was the sitting mayor at the time of its publication.”

In the letter to Harper, the 33 party members remind the prime minister that he removed a Southern Interior candidate for not disclosing pending legal action.

“In the case of Mr. Mayes, he, similarly, did not disclose the pending legal action against him and, even worse, denied it when questioned,” they state.

Longtime party member Don Huxley e-mailed the letter to Harper.

“The truth is the truth and that’s all the comment I have to make,” said Huxley when contacted.

Other signatories to the letter defend their actions.

“I was there at the nomination meeting and I’m afraid it (comments) hurt the electability of the party,” said Ria Carpay.

Wilf Mulder agrees he was also troubled by Mayes’ comments.

“It was a black and white question asked, with a black and white answer. If he had provided more information or distanced himself, but it was just a no,” said Mulder.

Mayes denies he misled anyone about the legal case in Salmon Arm.

“The defendant is the City of Salmon Arm. The question (at the nomination meeting) was, ‘Am I personally involved,’ and the answer was, ‘I did what I did in the role of mayor and the defendant is the City of Salmon Arm,’” he told The Morning Star.

“It’s unfortunate these people wouldn’t come to me directly and discuss this. It might be a reflection of the decision the membership made in terms of endorsing me as candidate.”

“I have great support in the constituency and this is just a few people who have a different opinion than the majority. What’s the motivation for releasing this to the media?” said Mayes.

Mayes has not heard from Harper on the matter.

“I don’t think the prime minister would act on a letter like this but if he wants to discuss it, I am willing to do so,” said Mayes.

Mayes won the party nomination over businessman Dean Skoreyko.

When contacted, Skoreyko said he was aware of the letter but had not signed it, and declined further comment.

Harper’s office did not respond to inquiries by press time.