Bill Casey, N.S. Liberal candidate, alleges government interference in campaign

The Liberal candidate for Cumberland-Colchester in Nova Scotia says he has filed a complaint with Elections Canada,alleging he was refused entry into a public building during a campaign stop.

Bill Casey made the complaint Tuesday in a letter to Marc Mayrand, the chief electoral officer,accusing the Department of National Defence and the Privy Council Office of conspiring against him.

On Sept. 21, Casey announced onhis websitehe planned to visitthe Col. James Layton Ralston Armoury in Amherst at 11 a.m. the next daybecause the building is in disrepair.

Under law, candidates are allowed to campaign in public areas.The armoury'smuseum is open Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., or by appointment. The building itself is under federal jurisdiction.

Casey saidhe tried to enter the building, butarmourystafftold him he wasn't allowed as he was in contravention of the Canada Elections Act. Astaffmember said he was "operating from instructions from CFB Halifax," according to Casey.

"And then when I didn't leave, I was summoned to the phone at the armoury and I was told by a CFB Halifax official that I had to leave the premises immediately," Casey said in an interview.

The next day, Casey said,he spoke with CFB Halifax public affairs officer Mike Bonin, whotold him he was refused entry not because of the Elections Act, but because ofdirectives given to CFB Halifax by the Privy Council Office in Ottawa.

CBC requested an interview withBonin, but he said he will not comment on the situationgiven Casey hasformally filed a complaint.

In anemailto CBC News, PrivyCouncilspokesmanRaymond Rivet wrote that"there was no direction from PCO regarding access to the Amherst Armoury."

According to the Section 81.1(1) of the Canada Elections Act, "No person who is in control of a building, land, street or any other place, any part of which is open without charge to members of the public may prevent a candidate or his or her representative from campaigning in or on that part when it is open without charge to members of the public."

And anyone who contravenes the section is "guilty of an offence," according to the act.

A spokesman for Elections Canada, John Enright, saidconflicts over accessare usually caused by confusion with the provisions and are typicallyhandled locally.

Ashley Lemire, spokeswoman for DND, said that all defence installations are only open to the public "with the express approval of the authorized commanding officer."

"While the regimental museum may be open to the public during specified times set out by the commanding officer,these are not 'public'buildings," she said.

'A pre-emptive strike'

Caseysaidthe Privy Council Office called hisTrurocampaignoffice after he'd left for the armoury. He saidhis volunteer staff were told Casey wasn't allowed to visit that day.

"They knew I was going and they tried a pre-emptive strike to stop me," Casey said.

"I've filed a complaint with Canada Elections and we've also filed some access to information to find out who said what and when."

Casey is running in Cumberland-Colchester against Conservative incumbent Scott Armstrong, New Democrat Wendy Robinson, Green candidate Jason Blanch and Independent Kenneth Jackson.

Casey is theformer Tory MP for the areawho wasexpelled from the Conservative Party eight years ago after voting against the 2007 budget.