SLOBODIAN: Maybe a little lesson in love would have helped in Manitoba...

It was heartbreakingly clear to former premier Heather Stefanson’s ruling Manitoba PCs heading into the 2023 election, that voter passion had cooled. The party, perceived as having become uncaring and aloof, campaigned hard to rekindle intimacy with voters in an effort to keep them out of the welcoming arms of now-Premier Wab Kinew of the NDP.But no, the party did not approve a $3,800 campaign expense in August 2023 for an intimacy life coach specializing in tackling physical and emotional intimacy issues between lovers or partners, PC leader Wayne Ewasko said Monday.“Not from what I know,” he said.In a Winnipeg Sun exclusive, complete with back and forth emails, whistleblower Christopher Kamanga raised concerns to senior party officials about the $3,800 invoice for car rental on letterhead from Lucid Vitality, an intimacy coaching company. It is owned by ‘Somatic Sexologist X Love Leader’ Chelsy Brause.The accountant, since dismissed for unknown reasons Ewasko wouldn’t comment on, alleged his concerns weren’t addressed and he was just told to pay the approved expense.Apparently, things can get confusing when wrong letterhead was used, according to the explanation given. He was told by a party official the problem stemmed from the wrong letterhead used by the individual who owns multiple companies, in one email produced by the Winnipeg Sun.Kamanga sent a further email to PC official Jon Lamb headed Word of the Day — Quickie.“It’s no secret that English is not my first language. Neither is it my second, third fourth or fifth language.”“Over the years, I have been corrected on the usage of certain word or terms. One of the words is Quickie (Single or singular) or Quickies (plural, it’s safe to assume we all know what that means.”“This brings us to Chelsy Brause invoice 1223 with the website chelsy.bra.com. When I checked the website I didn’t see a picture of the cars.”“Which begs the question why is the invoice description Car Rental? … Recording the transaction as a car rental would be falsifying a financial record.”Understandably, the revelation of the questionable expense caused a bit of a brouhaha.In fact, the NDP demanded the Commissioner of Elections investigate allegations that the party under Stefanson falsified that and other 2023 election campaign statements, violating the Election Financing Act.Stefanson sailed off into retirement leaving poor Ewasko to face questions in the legislature and from reporters about links to a somatic sexologist that deals with intimate things that can make one blush.“I was not happy at all. Actually angry,” explain his reaction to the Winnipeg Sun article.He called an urgent meeting Sunday with party management to get answers.He confirmed the rental in question was a Jeep used by PC staff working out of party headquarters during the campaign.And that Elections Manitoba and auditors received a corrected invoice in February or March before the campaign expense disclosure deadline.The corrected invoice is on Chelsy Brause letterhead.“It’s just that the owner of the company apparently has a few companies,” said Ewasko.“From what I know, no member of PC caucus owns those companies. With that being said, to get more clarity to your question you would have to ask the campaign manager at the time or the president of the party.”The NDP finance minister raised the issue of other expenditures in the legislature, noting he read there were “several invoices paid by the PC party which raised suspicions of questionable accounting practices.”Ewasko said the party is reviewing expenses and that concerns raised should be “addressed quickly, professionally.”The PCs will “definitely” co-operate with the commissioner’s investigation.“I want to make sure our members and Manitobans are confident we’re moving forward, bringing a more transparent, accountable party to the table and we’re going to be getting results.”“It’s taxpayer dollars. It’s donor dollars. It’s members’ dollars, so we have to be accountable and transparent with what we’re doing with the elections or byelections.”The PCs must “do better as a party.”“We need to be more accountable and transparent and then just take a look at our various process is not only during elections but on the day-to-day basis.”Meanwhile, a reporter asked if a $3,800 expense for renting a jeep “five or six weeks was good value.”“I can't speak to that either whether it's a good value or not in regard to leasing or renting a vehicle. So, we have to ask either the campaign manager or the president to the party.”

SLOBODIAN: Maybe a little lesson in love would have helped in Manitoba...

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