Motkaluk chides mayoral rival Murray over federal campaign expenses again, keeps own platform under wraps

Forthe second time in 16 days, Winnipeg mayoral candidate JennyMotkaluk criticizedrival Glen Murray forfailingto file campaign expenses for his unsuccessfulbid to become the leader of the federal Green Party.

Motkaluk gathered reporters to city hall Thursday morning to call on Murray to declare whether he'sunder federal investigation for blowing an April 2021 deadline to fileexpenses from his 2020 Green Party leadership campaign. Murray finishedfourth in that race.

She also called on her opponent to disclose an investigation, if federal election authorities ever launch one.

"He's breaking the law and he's making a mockery of our democratic processes," Motkaluk said. "There's somebody who thinks that he should be the leader of the city and that same person thinks the rules don't apply to them."

Motkaluk initially complained about Murray's missed deadline at a news conference on July 26.

Afterward, Heather Mack, Murray's official agent in his Green Party campaign, acknowledged the delayand saida campaign volunteer deleted the initial records.

Mack said she was forced to reassemble the receipts, and theexpenses are being scrutinized by a third-party auditor prior to their submission to Elections Canada.

She repeated that statement Thursday.

"Everything is with the third-party auditors. Glen Murray is not being investigated," she said.

Motkaluk's decision to hold two news briefings about Murray's Green Party expenses comes in contrast to her decision to keep her own platform under wraps until September.

More than three months into Winnipeg'ssix-month mayoral campaign period, Motkaluk has yet to make a single campaign promise or reveal any specific aspect of her plans for the City of Winnipegif she's elected on Oct. 26.

On Thursday, she repeated she is waiting until the end of the Labour Day long weekend to unveil her platform, claiming voters do not pay attention to policy during the summer.

"I'm going to divulge it when Winnipeggers are back from their summer holidays," she said.

Motkaluk and Murray are among 14 candidates running for mayor. The others are Idris Adelakun, Rana Bokhari, Chris Clacio, Scott Gillingham, Kevin Klein, Shaun Loney,Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Jessica Peebles, Rick Shone, Govind Thawani, Desmond Thomas and Don Woodstock.

Candidates must complete the nominations process in September in order to appear on the Oct. 26 ballot.

• More from CBC on the Winnipeg election