Former SNC-Lavalin executive charged in illegal political donations scheme

A former vice-president of SNC-Lavalinhas been charged with soliciting illegal campaign donations from employees of the engineering firm and reimbursing those employeesfrom company coffers.

Federal prosecutorsannounced Thursday that five charges against Normand Morin had been laid under the Canada Elections Act.

The allegations involve donations made to federal political parties between March 9, 2004 and May 1, 2011.

He has not entered a plea and will appear in Quebec Court at the end of June.

The charges come as the result of an investigation by the federal elections commissioner.

In that agreement, the engineering and construction giant admittedthat unnamed senior executives solicited the firm's staff to make federal party campaign donations, some of which were reimbursed through refunds for phony expenses, payment of fictionalbonuses or other benefits.

Political parties reimbursed government

The commissioner's investigation found that a total of $83,534.51 was donated to the Liberal Party of Canada and another $13,552.13 went to Liberal riding associations.

More than $12,000 was donated to candidates in the Liberal Party's 2006 leadership race, and more than$8,000 went to the Conservative Party of Canada andvarious riding associations.

The commissioner said the two political parties have since reimbursed thecontributions to the Receiver General of Canada.

In the compliance agreement, SNC-Lavalinstates that it has taken measures to help detect and curb "ethically problematic practices."