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Copps alleges tampering in riding race
By DARREN YOURK
Globe and Mail Update
UPDATED AT 3:11 PM EST         Tuesday, Mar. 9, 2004
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Shelia Copps upped the ante in her battle with Transport Minister Tony Valeri over the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Tuesday, alleging that illegal activities led to her defeat.
Ms. Copps said someone tapped into her riding office's phone system over the weekend and changed an outgoing message that was suppose to provide supporters with information on how to get a ride, how to get to the nomination meeting and how to vote.
The altered message apparently led a number of supporters to think they phoned the wrong number.
"We have reason to believe that it could have involved someone who works directly in the minister's office," Ms. Copps told reporters outside the House of Commons Tuesday. "I had a former employee who was let go and at the very end of the leadership campaign he came on to the Martin team."
Ms. Copps has asked the RCMP and Elections Canada to investigate the incident and also her allegation of tampering with voter eligibility.
"I think whoever tapped into our phone system obviously can be tracked by the police. And we can find out who was involved," Ms. Copps said.
The former deputy prime minister lost the ticket to Mr. Valeri, the federal Transport Minister and a close political ally to Prime Minister Paul Martin, by a few hundreds votes.
On the weekend Ms. Copps said federal interference prevented more than 400 of her supporters from being eligible to vote on Saturday.
"Between the pre-arranged rides and the buses, we know that we personally delivered over 3,000 people to the meeting," Ms. Copps said. "And yet the final count mysteriously shows us with 2,400 people voting."
Mr. Martin said he tried unsuccessfully Monday to reach Ms. Copps by telephone.
Ms. Copps said she didn't take the call because she was worried that she was going to be offered a patronage appointment.
"He tried to contact me last night and I believed it was to offer me a patronage appointment so I did not speak to him," Ms. Copps said. "This is not about me going into diplomatic heaven."
Ms. Copps turned down a patronage offer in December after Mr. Martin left her out of cabinet, saying she wouldn't be "steamrolled" into leaving politics.
Ms. Copps is scheduled to decide whether she'll appeal the result by the end of the day.
© 2004 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.
By DARREN YOURK
Globe and Mail Update
UPDATED AT 3:11 PM EST         Tuesday, Mar. 9, 2004
Advertisement
Shelia Copps upped the ante in her battle with Transport Minister Tony Valeri over the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Tuesday, alleging that illegal activities led to her defeat.
Ms. Copps said someone tapped into her riding office's phone system over the weekend and changed an outgoing message that was suppose to provide supporters with information on how to get a ride, how to get to the nomination meeting and how to vote.
The altered message apparently led a number of supporters to think they phoned the wrong number.
"We have reason to believe that it could have involved someone who works directly in the minister's office," Ms. Copps told reporters outside the House of Commons Tuesday. "I had a former employee who was let go and at the very end of the leadership campaign he came on to the Martin team."
Ms. Copps has asked the RCMP and Elections Canada to investigate the incident and also her allegation of tampering with voter eligibility.
"I think whoever tapped into our phone system obviously can be tracked by the police. And we can find out who was involved," Ms. Copps said.
The former deputy prime minister lost the ticket to Mr. Valeri, the federal Transport Minister and a close political ally to Prime Minister Paul Martin, by a few hundreds votes.
On the weekend Ms. Copps said federal interference prevented more than 400 of her supporters from being eligible to vote on Saturday.
"Between the pre-arranged rides and the buses, we know that we personally delivered over 3,000 people to the meeting," Ms. Copps said. "And yet the final count mysteriously shows us with 2,400 people voting."
Mr. Martin said he tried unsuccessfully Monday to reach Ms. Copps by telephone.
Ms. Copps said she didn't take the call because she was worried that she was going to be offered a patronage appointment.
"He tried to contact me last night and I believed it was to offer me a patronage appointment so I did not speak to him," Ms. Copps said. "This is not about me going into diplomatic heaven."
Ms. Copps turned down a patronage offer in December after Mr. Martin left her out of cabinet, saying she wouldn't be "steamrolled" into leaving politics.
Ms. Copps is scheduled to decide whether she'll appeal the result by the end of the day.
© 2004 Bell Globemedia Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.