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OTTAWA — The secretive body that ordered New Democrats to reimburse almost $4 million in allegedly misspent parliamentary resources is being asked to investigate a new allegation of improper spending by NDP MPs: the use of taxpayer-funded constituency offices to campaign for re-election.

Liberal MP Marc Garneau wants the multi-party board of internal economy to conduct a thorough investigation into what he believes is a “widespread and apparently co-ordinated” use of riding offices to stage door-to-door canvassing blitzes.

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In a letter sent Wednesday to House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer, the board’s chairman Garneau says at least 43 New Democrat MPs have used their riding offices to organize “day of action” canvassing — and more intend to do so again later this month.

Garneau says the days of action appear designed to “identify supporters” and are thus “inherently electoral in nature” — a suspicion he says is underlined by the fact that NDP candidates have simultaneously conducted identical canvassing blitzes in ridings not currently held by the party.