Tory leadership candidates reminded of campaign rules

An enthusiastic supporter has brought some unwanted attention to the campaign of one of the Nova Scotia Tory leadership hopefuls.

Earlier this week, a supporter of leadership candidate Tim Houston posted a video online pledging his support for Houston and encouraging people to buy party memberships so they would have a chance to cast a ballot in favour of the Pictou East MLA.

In subsequent comments to the video, while discussing the challenge some people might have coming up with the $10 party membership fee, the author of the video said he received donations from someone in Cape Breton and someone in Ontario to cover the cost of memberships for a few people who couldn't afford them.

'Missteps are going to be made'

Therein lies the problem: It's against the rules to buy a membership for someone else and it's also against the rules for someone from outside the province to contribute financially to a campaign.

Houston's campaign spokesperson, Allison Garber, said the supporter's heart was in the right place, but the campaign is aware of the problem and working to ensure it doesn't happen again. The man is not a campaign official, she said.

"It's our job to communicate the process with people, which we will do," she said.

"I think we just need to be mindful that all teams are going to have supporters who are excited and motivated and trying to do their best on the ground to build momentum and support, and missteps are going to be made along the way."

Making the rules clear

Leadership convention co-chair Chris d'Entremont said officials are asking all leadership campaigns to be clear with their supporters about the rules by including them on their respective websites where everyone can see them.

"The rules are pretty straight forward," said d'Entremont, the Argyle-Barrington MLA. "You have to pay for your own membership and you have to be a resident of Nova Scotia."

The leadership convention is Oct. 26-27 in Halifax. Along with Houston, Tory MLAs John Lohr and Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke and Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market executive director Julie Chaisson are seeking the party's top job.