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By Carmen Chai

OTTAWA — The Tories are urging Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer to investigate whether the NDP broke the Elections Act after they obtained photos that suggest the official Opposition party received funding from unions.

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In a letter sent to Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand, the Conservatives’ lawyer, Arthur Hamilton accuses the NDP of breaking Elections Canada rules for receiving “contributions” from several unions and businesses at the party’s summer convention held in Vancouver from June 17th to the 19th.

“During this convention, signage prominently displayed at (the event) identified the fact that sponsorships were being provided by both unions and certain incorporated entities,” Mr. Hamilton wrote.

Attached to the letter are photos of NDP convention signs used at the three-day event including a “Thank you to our sponsors” with about half a dozen unions’ logos below. They include large national unions such as the United Steelworkers, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, CUPE and the United Food and Commercial Workers. Other photos of signage show a fundraising dinnertime reception with small union logos on the bottom corner.