Elections N.S. investigating PC campaign for handing out gift cards

Elections Nova Scotia is investigating PC candidate Susan Corkum-Greek's campaign to determine whether it broke the law byhandingout gift cards on Saturday outside a Tim Hortons in Lunenburg, N.S.

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party accused Corkum-Greek of "vote buying" in breach of section 327 of the Nova Scotia Elections Act, which stipulates "every person is guilty of an offence who, directly or indirectly, offers a bribe to induce or influence another person to vote or refrain from voting for or against a particular candidate."

While campaigning in Cape Breton Tuesday, Liberal Leader Zach Chuchill said the party acted after it received information from voters in the constituency.

"We did receive reports in Lunenburg where the Conservative candidate and cabinet minister was handing out gift cards for votes, allegedly," said Churchill.

"So that certainly is worthy of an investigation by Elections Nova Scotia and we'll see what elections Nova Scotia determines."

Peter Zwicker, the PC campaign manager in Lunenburg,issued a statement Tuesday afternoon in which he admitted to buying $51.75 worth of gift cards, each worth $2.07 the price of a small cup of coffee to hand out to patrons.

"The candidate did not know that had happened," wrote Zwicker. "I am sincerely sorry that my actions have caused a distraction to a candidate I have so much respect for."

Naomi Shelton, director of policyand communications at Elections Nova Scotia, confirmed the office was looking into the allegations.

On Tuesday morning, before Zwicker's resignation, PC Leader Tim Houston suggested the accusation was frivolous andonly "possible."

Houston campaigned alongside Corkum-GreekSaturday afternoon and said she was at a Tim Hortons in the morning.He said political events often have coffee and doughnuts and he didn't know the specifics of the situation.

"This might be a spin on that, but we'll let Elections Nova Scotia have their say," he said."Would it be fair game for political parties to give out coffee? I would say yes."

Houston said it wasn't "a strategy of the party" and that local campaigns make their own decisions.

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On Tuesday, the NDP promised a major new initiative aimed at getting hundreds of people into starter homes. The PCs and Liberals are locked in a dispute over coffee gift cards. Jean Laroche has the story.