Manitoba Tory campaign invoice issue doesn’t stop with intimacy coach

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The Progressive Conservative (PC) Party of Manitoba approved and paid an invoice from an intimacy coach under the description of a “car rental,” as was first reported by the Winnipeg Sun on Sunday.

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The invoice lacked details you’d expect to find such as the rental period, the driver’s identity and which campaign official ordered the service. Additionally, the invoice did not include any dates or other necessary information.

On Monday, Interim PC Leader Wayne Ewasko responded to media about questions raised in the Legislature by Premier Wab Kinew and other members about the Winnipeg Sun’s report.

Ewasko told media the party rented a vehicle for volunteers during the campaign and acknowledged that the invoice in question was from Chelsy Brause, an intimacy coach who operates under the website www.chelsbra.com. He said Brause owns other businesses, which he suggested might have caused the confusion with the invoice.

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When reached by the Winnipeg Sun on Saturday, Ewasko didn’t say anything about the invoice being legitimate. In fact, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation saying, “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.” He did not say the invoice was legitimate or mention volunteers.

Ewasko told media on Monday the party submitted an updated invoice to Elections Manitoba. However, questions remain about why the invoice wasn’t corrected when it was first flagged by accounting staff member Christopher Kamanga in communications with PC Party CEO Michele Halverson in August 2023. Also, why did Kamanga not receive a corrected invoice when it was promised? The Winnipeg Sun reviewed a cheque for $3,800 dated August 2023 made out to the intimacy coach, but it remains unclear why a corrected invoice was not provided before payment was issued.

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To provide context, a 30-day rental of a Jeep Cherokee or a similar vehicle from Budget would cost approximately $2,150.55. The PC Party paid $3,800 for the “vehicle rental” and no taxes were included on the invoice. This raises additional questions: Who was the authorized driver? And which campaign staff member approved renting a vehicle from this person? The party has not provided names or dates.

The questionable invoices go beyond just this instance. Other documents reviewed by the Winnipeg Sun and a retired Winnipeg police officer with experience investigating financial crimes identified other red flags in the party’s accounting practices.

One such invoice, totalling $23,625, was from Fabric Analytica LTD, a company that has yet to be found in a search. However, a company by the same name exists in Parsonage Gardens, Manchester. The invoice did not provide an address, phone number, contact information, email, or website, further complicating the legitimacy of the transaction.

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In addition, a series of four invoices from Iron and Ice, a company with ties to former MP and Interim Conservative Party Leader Candace Bergen, also raised concerns. One invoice from April 2023 was for $8,000, but the cheque issued for payment was for $8,995, $995 more than the invoice amount. According to a former accounting staff member, the extra charge was to cover a flight from Mexico to Winnipeg for Bergen. However, there was no explanation for why the flight expense was not on the invoice. Three additional invoices from Iron and Ice, each for $8,000, were submitted containing the same service descriptions for the month of June differing only by invoice number and date. Despite these similarities, all were paid as part of the campaign’s expenses. Theses invoices also showed discrepancies in the inclusion of GST. While a GST number was listed, the total amount billed remained $8,000 without any GST noted.

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These examples raise questions about the PC Party’s overall financial management. Despite being a political organization reliant on donor contributions, there appears to be a lack of rigorous oversight in how funds were or are managed and payments approved. Given these concerns, a donor we spoke with wants to know who is ultimately responsible for the financial discrepancies and questionable practices that have come to light.

The PC Party has faced significant challenges in recent years, including the sudden departure of former Premier Brian Pallister, a rushed leadership race, and a recent electoral defeat. These issues, combined with the current financial controversy, place the party in a precarious position as it seeks to rebuild its credibility.

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University of Manitoba professor and Winnipeg Sun columnist Royce Koop said the PC Party does have a path to recovery even with the finance issues raised by the Sun.

“I think, basically, do what Ewasko has done so far and follow through: admit that there was an error and commit to being transparent and forthright in getting to the bottom of it, even if there are costs to the party in the short term. Every mistake is an opportunity, and the best they can do with the situation is show they’re committed to being transparent and ensuring it doesn’t happen again.”

— with files from Kevin Klein

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

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