Local members of the Conservative Party of Canada have submitted a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other 
party officials calling for “appropriate action” following alleged untrue statements made by MP Colin Mayes.According to the letter, Mayes made statements at both of the Conservative nomination meetings in September, denying that he was named as a defendant in a lawsuit before the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The letter submitted by the party members says that it has since been revealed that Mayes is listed as a defendant.“This matter could seriously jeopardize his re-election and the hopes of the Conservative Party to form a majority government in the next election,” says the letter.The letter is signed by 33 party members and says only that the purpose of the document is to “bring this matter to your attention for appropriate action.”One long-time party member who signed the letter is Fern Plomp. She said in her years as a member she’s never encountered an MP before who has not told the truth.“Why didn’t he admit it was Colin Mayes (named in the lawsuit)?” she said. “I think he should be made to stand and tell the truth, not stand up and cover himself.”Another party member who appended her name to the letter is 
Bev Steward. She said she is so concerned about the issue that she has written a letter to another member of parliament about it.“It was not so much what was in the claim but that he stood there as our MP and told an outright lie,” she said. “It’s not what we’re used to.”Mayes’ statements at the meetings came in response to questions from an audience member who asked if the MP had any litigation against him and if so, had he told the party about the legal action.At the Salmon Arm nomination meeting Mayes responded to his questioner saying that there was some “misinformation” circulating about the lawsuit and that he was not named as a defendant.“First of all the lawsuit is not against me it’s against the mayor of Salmon Arm and the, the corporation of Salmon Arm,” he said according to a videotape of the Sept. 6 meeting.In a statement of claim filed with the Salmon Arm Law Courts in December 2005, obtained by the Vernon Daily Courier, Mayes is listed as one of the defendants. The suit alleges that Mayes libeled an individual who was running for Salmon Arm city council in 2005. According to the statement of claim, the comments were made in a letter written by Mayes which was distributed at an all candidates meeting and reprinted in a Salmon Arm newspaper.Despite leaving a message on Mayes’ cell phone, contacting his office in Ottawa and leaving a message with his executive assistant at his Vernon office, Mayes was unavailable for comment by press time. The letter to the prime minister also raises the incident with the Conservative candidate in the B.C. Southern Interior riding who prior to the 2006 Election did not tell the party that he had been charged with attempted smuggling. At the time Harper said that if the candidate won the riding he would not be permitted to sit as a member of the Conservatives.
party officials calling for “appropriate action” following alleged untrue statements made by MP Colin Mayes.According to the letter, Mayes made statements at both of the Conservative nomination meetings in September, denying that he was named as a defendant in a lawsuit before the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The letter submitted by the party members says that it has since been revealed that Mayes is listed as a defendant.“This matter could seriously jeopardize his re-election and the hopes of the Conservative Party to form a majority government in the next election,” says the letter.The letter is signed by 33 party members and says only that the purpose of the document is to “bring this matter to your attention for appropriate action.”One long-time party member who signed the letter is Fern Plomp. She said in her years as a member she’s never encountered an MP before who has not told the truth.“Why didn’t he admit it was Colin Mayes (named in the lawsuit)?” she said. “I think he should be made to stand and tell the truth, not stand up and cover himself.”Another party member who appended her name to the letter is 
Bev Steward. She said she is so concerned about the issue that she has written a letter to another member of parliament about it.“It was not so much what was in the claim but that he stood there as our MP and told an outright lie,” she said. “It’s not what we’re used to.”Mayes’ statements at the meetings came in response to questions from an audience member who asked if the MP had any litigation against him and if so, had he told the party about the legal action.At the Salmon Arm nomination meeting Mayes responded to his questioner saying that there was some “misinformation” circulating about the lawsuit and that he was not named as a defendant.“First of all the lawsuit is not against me it’s against the mayor of Salmon Arm and the, the corporation of Salmon Arm,” he said according to a videotape of the Sept. 6 meeting.In a statement of claim filed with the Salmon Arm Law Courts in December 2005, obtained by the Vernon Daily Courier, Mayes is listed as one of the defendants. The suit alleges that Mayes libeled an individual who was running for Salmon Arm city council in 2005. According to the statement of claim, the comments were made in a letter written by Mayes which was distributed at an all candidates meeting and reprinted in a Salmon Arm newspaper.Despite leaving a message on Mayes’ cell phone, contacting his office in Ottawa and leaving a message with his executive assistant at his Vernon office, Mayes was unavailable for comment by press time. The letter to the prime minister also raises the incident with the Conservative candidate in the B.C. Southern Interior riding who prior to the 2006 Election did not tell the party that he had been charged with attempted smuggling. At the time Harper said that if the candidate won the riding he would not be permitted to sit as a member of the Conservatives.
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