OTTAWA – A longtime party volunteer came forward Thursday evening and said she is the whistleblower who brought forward accusations of improper campaign financing leading to the disqualification of Patrick Brown.
Debra Jodoin, who has worked for a variety of Conservative campaign identified herself as the whistleblower, in a statement from her lawyer.
The party disqualified Brown Tuesday evening, charging a corporation had been paying his campaign staff, which is a violation of not just the party’s rule, but Elections Canada legislation. In addition to disqualifying Brown from the race, the party forwarded information to the Commissioner of Elections Canada for an investigation.
“Mr. Brown told me that it was permissible for me to be employed by a company as a consultant, and then for that company to have me volunteer with the campaign,” said Jodoin in a statement provided by her lawyer. “He connected me by text message with a third party for that purpose. I trusted him, but as time went on I became increasingly concerned with the arrangement and suspected it was not OK.”
Jodoin said she raised the issue directly with Brown and shortly afterward, “a corporation paid me and paid for my expenses, not the Brown campaign,” she said.
Her lawyer, Jason Beitchman, said the party kept her identity confidential at her request, but she felt she needed to come forward.
“She is a private citizen, not a public or political figure, and has many friends...
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