North Sydney man among appointees to EI boards who made political donations

OTTAWA (CP) — A North Sydney man who sits as a chairperson on the Employment Insurance Board of Referees has admitted to donating to the Conservative party, despite government rules that forbid it.

Denis Almon is among dozens of people identified in a Canadian Press investigation which found as many as one of every five chairpersons on the boards gave money to political parties, riding associations and election candidates while they served on the tribunal.

Elections Canada records show Almon made more than a dozen donations after his appointment, which he confirmed making in a telephone interview.

Almon, who was made chairperson in November 2007, said he did not mix politics with his duties on the regional Nova Scotia EI referees board, although he added that he should be able to give money to whoever he wants.

He also said being a political donor “certainly” has something to do with being appointed to the board.

“This is only natural. Who would you appoint yourself if somebody was helping in doing something for you, or you believed in, or somebody that you had nothing to do with?” Almon said.

“I think it’s only a natural phenomenon more than anything else. I don’t think it’s for the money that the political parties get out if it.”

All but one of the dozens of donations uncovered in the investigation went to Conservatives, Election Canada records show. The lone non-Tory donation went to a Liberal riding association in the Toronto area.

Those donations run afoul of guidelines for administrative tribunals, such as the EI referees boards, which hear complaints about EI decisions about issues such as denied benefits and fraud.

A document entitled “Information Handbook for Employment Insurance Boards of Referees” says chairpersons should avoid all political activities.

“In light of the nature of their duties, governor-in-council appointees of quasi-judicial bodies, such as chairpersons to Boards of Referees, are subject to a much more stringent standard and should generally avoid all political activities,” says the guide, dated June 2012.

Political activities include giving money to a political party, joining a party, attending partisan events or fundraising. Raymond Rivet, chief spokesman for the Privy Council Office, confirmed in an email that the guidelines stipulate that appointees are not supposed to engage in any political activities.

Elections Canada records show a number of chairpersons made political donations — altogether worth as much as $37,000 — while serving on the EI referees boards.

The Canadian Press matched the names and hometowns of chairpersons listed on two government websites with donors in Elections Canada’s database, which shows contributors’ names, home towns and postal codes.

Only donations made by serving chairpersons were included in the final tally.

Donations made prior to chairpersons being named to the EI referees boards, or after their terms end, are allowed under government rules. A number of the boards’ chairpersons made political donations before their appointments, with the lion’s share going to Conservatives.

Eleven chairpersons confirmed making donations. Others did not return phone calls. One appointee refused to confirm or deny her donation.

There seemed to be confusion around the no-donation rule. None of the chairpersons seemed aware of any restrictions against donating, and some insisted they had every right to give money to a political party.

The EI referees boards are among the dozens of federal organizations whose ranks are filled all or in part by people appointed by the Governor General, on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet.

The boards sit part-time in groups of three, consisting of a government-appointed chair and representatives of workers and employers.

The boards will soon become a thing of the past. In last year’s omnibus budget legislation, the governing Conservatives announced a new Social Security Tribunal would replace the EI referees boards. Canada Pension Plan and old age security claimants will also be able to appeal to the tribunal.

However, the EI referees boards will continue to hear appeals filed before April 1. The boards will decide on those cases until Oct. 31, at which point the unheard appeals will be transferred to the new tribunal.

The government appointed John Buddy Wiens of Morden, Man., as a chairman of the EI referees board for the Winnipeg district in April 2008. Elections Canada records show Wiens made three donations — totalling $1,500 — to the Portage-Lisgar Conservative riding association.