Whitehorse Daily Star

MP says he didn’t think he’d breached House mailing rules

Ten Conservative MPs – including the Yukon’s – were found to have breached the House of Commons rules for mailing costs earlier this year.

By Aimee O'Connor on June 30, 2015

Ten Conservative MPs – including the Yukon’s – were found to have breached the House of Commons rules for mailing costs earlier this year.

Yukon MP Ryan Leef was notified in April that the Board of Internal Economy would be reviewing a mail-out done in early 2015.

About a month later, he received the review results.

The cost of his mail-out exceeded the amount that is permitted by a certain percentage, according to House rules.

Leef owed the House about $285.

The MP told the Star this morning that he paid the full amount – which he believes was $285, but was sure it was under $300 – within hours of finding out the excess cost amount.

“It wasn’t a problem with the contents of mail or where it was going to .... It boiled down to the fact that ‘x’ amount of mail-outs were allowed,” Leef said.

“You can use House services for mail-outs or you can use a third party to print and mail out for you.”

Leef did not think he had exceeded the amount permitted for third party printing, a number that is less than what is allotted for using House services.

“I wouldn’t have forged ahead if it was clear to me,” Leef said.

The mail-out that was reviewed contained information about different pieces of legislation in place for the promotion and preservation of the environment and hunting and angling community, he said.

The first-term MP is currently the vice-chair of the Conservatives’ hunting and angling caucus.

The Board of Internal Economy is the House governing watchdog which also sets rules around spending.

It is the job of the seven-member board of MPs to look at expenditures such as mail-outs and determine whether there is any excess spending occurring.

In June 2014, the board ordered 23 NDP MPs to repay $1.7 million for mailings found to be in contravention of House rules.

The party has refused to repay the sum and has called the ruling a “kangaroo court” controlled by partisanship.

Leef said his overage amount, the first he’s had to pay in four years of being in Parliament, was something he respected and made instant reparation for.

“All Yukoners would expect that of their MP,” he said.

“If you contrast that with the NDP ... and their refusal to pay it back, it’s not only alarming, but that’s where the undermining of public confidence is occurring.”

Leef was not the only MP to fire back a response referencing NDP mail-out spending.

The Hill Times reports that five out of the ten Conservative MPs who were found to have exceeded mail-out costs answered questions with a similar reply.

The Times also noted that board spokesperson John Duncan wrote a statement in an email that included a “similar version of the same lines sent by Conservative MPs in response to questions.”

Comments (12)

Up 1 Down 0

BnR on Jul 6, 2015 at 7:15 pm

Not like this hasn't happened before to Ryan.

Up 95 Down 39

ProScience Greenie on Jul 3, 2015 at 11:03 am

Leef has a long record of making wild accusations, using misquotes and twisting the words of his opponents to scare the voter. Look it up, it's not pretty and will not get the vote of the informed voter that sees through fear tactics and political smear. Very disappointing.

If Leef wants a chance of being sent back to Ottawa he'll need to start listening to all Yukoner's views rather than just the dinosaurs at the Yukon Conservative Association.

Up 52 Down 31

Adele Sandrock on Jul 2, 2015 at 1:59 pm

'Leef did not think he had exceeded the amount permitted' - how about you know what you are doing the next time Mr. Leef???

Up 63 Down 10

YukonSally on Jul 2, 2015 at 11:06 am

I'm rather sick of all the propaganda and bashing of other parties being received by mail or advertised by radio/T.V.

As a voter, listening to all of the parties go on and on about the negatives of one another is not a way to sway me. Why not spend the time and money on telling us what you are actually going to do for us, how you are going to achieve those goals and clearly define how it will benefit all Canadians.

The Cons' ads about Trudeau not being ready are pathetic and shameful and show that the only thing their party is offering us are scare tactics and useless drivel.

Up 54 Down 4

O Where O where O has true politicians gone on Jul 1, 2015 at 1:25 pm

O where O where has the true politicians gone.
We have the Federal Government about to spend $26 dollars to recover a million dollars from the senators.
Then you have these senators putting in place a system to check themselves.
This like the Yukon Government putting in place Acts to protect themselves so residents of the Yukon cannot see the truth in the administration of our public business.

Up 72 Down 11

Miles Miller on Jun 30, 2015 at 11:16 pm

Ryan

Some of your mailouts are very simplistic and a little insulting. If you want our opinion please give more thought to your questions.

Up 53 Down 65

Lost in the Yukon on Jun 30, 2015 at 9:57 pm

This is a non-story

Up 67 Down 47

June Jackson on Jun 30, 2015 at 9:36 pm

Good idea "Stop the waste"..I never read Con crap anymore anyway.

Up 15 Down 25

Rod on Jun 30, 2015 at 8:14 pm

To lazy to read this lol....did we win? ...lol

Up 60 Down 25

Mark Carroll on Jun 30, 2015 at 7:24 pm

I did know I had to pay all my taxes, if only the government had it clear to me. Another sign of absolute contempt for the rules that govern those whom are suppose to be governing. To top it off you sound like a whinny eight year child, "but teacher, the NDP did it way worse than I did". Sad for a government and MP that spoke out with such gusto of the errogance of the Liberal government. Pride before a fall my friends.

Up 107 Down 76

steve on Jun 30, 2015 at 4:30 pm

Wow Leaf do you have your own mind or are you such a puppet of Her Harper you can't speak for yourself?

Up 132 Down 82

Stop the waste on Jun 30, 2015 at 3:55 pm

Ryan:

Stop wasting tax dollars mailing out propaganda. Period.

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