SUN EXCLUSIVE: ‘Intimacy coach’ invoice part of Manitoba Tory party campaign expenses in 2023

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Manitoba’s Tory party paid $3,800 for services from an “intimacy coach” in August 2023 according to documents acquired by the Winnipeg Sun.

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When questions were raised about that invoice by someone in the party’s accounting department, they were told it was an approved campaign expense and to pay it.

Christopher Kamanga was employed by the PC Party of Manitoba, in part to help manage their books, and made several attempts to bring his concerns to senior party officials. Despite his efforts, his questions were never addressed.

He sent emails to Brent Pooles, the Party President for the Board, about questionable expenses but it was never addressed.

“Can you imagine if donors knew their funds were used to pay for this,” Kamanga asked.

He also brought the expense to the attention of the party’s CEO Michele Halverson asking her if it was a valid campaign expense.

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In her emailed reply on Aug. 21, Halverson simply said, “Yes, it is approved.”

Kamanga pressed the issue the following day and said in an email that, “Recording this transaction as a car rental would be falsifying the financial record.”

Halverson’s emailed reply said, “they obviously used the wrong letter head on this invoice, the correct one will be sent ASAP.”

Kamanga said a corrected invoice one was never provided.

“I am most disappointed with Brent (Pooles). He avoided me and didn’t want to listen to my concerns.”

Kamanga was dismissed from the party in February 2024 and he has since filed a complaint with Manitoba’s employment standards branch. One of his complaints is that the PC Party failed to pay him for vacation time or severance.

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Wayne Ewascko, interim leader of the PC Party Manitoba told the Winnipeg Sun he will scrutinize the expense.

“I am not happy to learn about this. I will ask questions and investigate what happened. I have already formed a committee to investigate the 2023 election and the Tuxedo by-election to learn from both and allow the party to move forward.”

Mike Ambrose, director of communications and public information for Elections Manitoba said all campaign invoices are reviewed.

“Legislation requires that each campaign completes a financial audit of their election return, done by an auditor in good standing who is authorized to perform such an audit,” Ambrose said. “This audit provides reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether caused by error or fraud.

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“If we have reason to believe any part of a return is incorrect, we will certainly look into it. Any matter that we believe is a contravention of legislation is referred to the Commissioner of Elections for investigation.”

RED FLAGS

The Winnipeg Sun reviewed the documents with a retired Winnipeg Police Service investigator, who’s familiar with with financial improprieties and financial crimes who said this raises “red flags.”

“Concerning the ‘car rental’ invoice there are several red flags,” said the retired investigator. “There are no sales taxes, no details as to who actually rented the car, what type of vehicle was rented, or the period in question. The associated website does not even offer car rentals, but appears to offer questionable services.”

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The invoice in question was issued by a company called Lucid Vitality, which, according to the Party’s documentation, provided car rental services. However, a search for this company in Manitoba’s business registry yielded no results. Furthermore, the website linked to Lucid Vitality, www.chelsbra.com, belonged not to a car rental service, but to an intimacy coach.

Chelsbra.com describes its owner as a Somatic Sexologist, not a car rental company. According to healthing.ca, Somatic sex education (SSE) is a form of sex therapy that individuals can engage in alone or with a partner. This therapy may involve the client removing clothing to feel more comfortable, and in some cases, the practitioner may ask if the client wants to participate in sexological bodywork. This form of therapy could involve the practitioner demonstrating or teaching techniques involving physical touch, including genital contact. The aim is often to help the client discover new ways to experience sexual pleasure, manage pain, or become more present during sexual activities.

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This raises further questions about why an invoice from this website, which clearly offers SSE services, was submitted for car rental charges and approved as campaign expenses by the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba.

Among other questionable accounting practices was the absence of supporting documentation for several invoices that were paid by the PC Party. These invoices lacked essential business details such as contact information, GST numbers, or the inclusion of GST in some cases. Notably, three of the invoices reviewed had the same service description and were issued for the same month. The only difference between them was the invoice number, raising further suspicion. These issues included invoices from a company affiliated with a well-known politician.

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FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY?

The Winnipeg Sun’s investigation into the matter highlights significant concerns about the PC Party’s financial management, raising questions about its commitment to fiscal responsibility, a value the party has long championed in Manitoba. The evidence reviewed showed a lack of transparency and oversight regarding questionable invoices and the responses — or lack thereof — from party officials. Kamanga claims he blind-copied both Jon Lamb and Brent Pooles, senior members of the PC Party, on his email exchanges with Halverson. He alleges that neither Lamb nor Pooles took any action to address the financial irregularities he flagged.

The invoices under scrutiny appear to be election expenses, which, according to standard procedures, would have undergone an audit by Scarrow & Donald LLP, the party’s external auditors.

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The audited expenses were subsequently submitted to Elections Manitoba for review. Official documents show that Elections Manitoba received the audit on May 13, 2024. The PC Party’s election returns for the 2023 election showed campaign expenditures amounting to $1.4 million, while the party had raised just $664,663 through contributions and transfers from candidates and constituency associations.

David Yu, a professor at the Asper School of Business specializing in audits, said if any auditor had actually seen these invoices “they should have investigated further.”

“Auditors, in general, would normally just pick select invoices to review, they could not review all. If that is the case, it is possible for an auditor to miss an invoice,” Yu said. “It’s important to remember that auditors can’t guarantee the accuracy of financials.”

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He suggested that if these complaints are legitimate the auditor may need to do a more thorough review.

“The question is, does the organization’s leadership care about ethics or care about doing things properly?”

The party’s two largest election expenses were advertising ($642,500) and polling ($573,996). However, Kamanga’s documents indicate that the PC Party spent over $300,000 with a company called Sovereign North and an additional $45,000 per month, which he suggested totalled $300,000, on a tracking system known as Campaign Compass. In contrast, Kamanga noted that in previous election cycles, the party had used a system called PCV, which only cost $5,000 per month. These figures, coupled with the questionable invoices, have prompted concerns over the transparency and accountability of the party’s election spending.

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TAXPAYER REFUND

It is also important to note that the PC Party is eligible for a refund from tax dollars on a portion of its campaign expenses. Under the current rules, the party will receive a refund equivalent to 25% of eligible expenses from the Government of Manitoba. The New Democratic Party has increased this refund to 50% for the next election, a move designed to make running for office more accessible by ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent individuals from seeking election. The taxpayer-funded rebate has long been a controversial issue in Manitoba politics. Former Premier Brian Pallister had sought to eliminate the rebate entirely, arguing that it was an unfair subsidy for politicians. While he was unsuccessful in eliminating the rebate, he did reduce it from 50% to 25%.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala, when asked about the increase to 50%, defended the decision, saying it would allow more Manitobans to participate in the political process by reducing financial barriers for prospective candidates. This decision, however, has reignited the debate over the use of taxpayer money to fund political campaigns.

-with files from Kevin Klein

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