One of the characters at the heart of a story involving an RCMP investigation of alleged illegal lobbying is a Montrealer named Gilles Varin. Reporters at The Globe and Mail and Radio-Canada teamed up to look at the awarding of a $9-million contract to renovate West Block. The company that won the contract was LM Sauve and LM Sauve, the reporters said, hired Varin to help with the contract. The report described Varin as a “long-time Conservative organizer” and also described fundraising activities he was involved in on behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Today, Conservative MPs received the following talking points about Varin:
Correcting the record on Gilles Varin
Media reports are wrongly stating that Gilles Varin is a long-time organiser, member and donor of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Here are the facts:
This individual is not a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. In fact, we have no records of him ever being a member of our party.
This individual is not and has not been an organizer of the Conservative Party of Canada.
This individual has been an occasional donor to both the Conservative Party of Canada and the Liberal Party of Canada.
This individual is not a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. In fact, we have no records of him ever being a member of our party.
Isn't it illegal for a party to divulge whether or not someone is a member without their permission?