The Conservative caucus research group, with a Commons budget of $2.6-million, coordinates and produces the controversial attack flyers now under investigation by the Commons Procedure and House affairs committee, a veteran Conservative MP says.

The issue of public funding for the politically-charged flyers assumed a new profile over the past week as MPs pointed out Conservative circulars as well as those being distributed by at least one other party, the NDP, are directly aimed at swaying voters for the next federal election.

Conservative MP Peter Goldring (Edmonton East, Alta.) said the research group, which falls under Government House Leader Jay Hill's (Prince George-Peace River, B.C.) responsibility in the bylaws that govern spending for all party officers in the Commons, is the contact point when MPs are asked to sponsor mailings of the so-called Ten Percenters.

"I know when we're signing off on sheets, it's through the CRG," Mr. Goldring said in an interview about the circulars, which came under intense scrutiny before the Commons adjourned for the Christmas break.

The House Affairs Committee held a stormy meeting over a Conservative Ten Percenter Commons Speaker Peter Milliken (Kingston and the Islands, Ont.) ruled had breached the privileges of Liberal MP Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal, Que.) because of its suggestion he was anti-Semitic and anti-Israel.

Mr. Goldring declined to comment directly on the circular distributed in Mr. Cotler's riding, but said he believes rules governing the flyers should be amended to moderate the overtly political tone and content that has creeped in over the past few years, including recent NDP flyers he said he believes are targeting him for electoral purposes.

"I get an awful lot of Ten Percenters from the other parties, and particularly from the NDP in Edmonton East, they're kind of targeting," said Mr. Goldring. "I do believe that we could have it in a little more moderation, but the rules allow it that way. I would not have a problem with rules tightening up a bit."

Asked about the circular in Mr. Cotler's riding, which linked the Jewish MP to a conference in Durban, South Africa that took on anti-Semitic and anti-Israel overtones, Mr. Goldring said: "I just don't know enough about it to be able to say one way or the other, other than that you try to have Ten Percenters that don't go into real controversial areas, at least I do."

He added: "By and large the people in the ridings, they really want something that is informative for them, maybe helping them to understand what the government is doing, and its policies and principles that you don't ordinarily get out of the newspapers."

Mr. Goldring's comments about the role the Conservative caucus research group plays in the government attack flyers is revealing, following statements NDP MP Peter Stoffer (Sackville-Eastern Shore, N.S.) made about Conservative Ten Percenters in his riding that falsely claimed he had supported the federal gun registry. Mr. Stoffer told the Procedure and House Affairs Committee the Conservative MP who sponsored the flyers, Maurice Vellacott (Saskatoon-Wanuskewin, Sask.), said after apologizing for them that he had not taken part in their design. Mr. Velacott and other MPs whose names appear on the flyers must nonetheless authorize their distribution.

Mr. Stoffer told the committee he wanted an apology from the Conservative backroomers who prepared the documents, since they must have been aware of his long history opposing the registry. All parties take part in the Ten Percenter program, named for the rule that allows any MP to send flyers to 10 per cent of the households in any other riding, and it is likely the research groups in the other parties also take part in the scheme. Each of the other research groups also receive public funding through the Commons budget.

Mr. Cotler told the House Affairs Committee the flyers distributed in his riding under the name of Treasury Board President Vic Toews (Provencher, Man.) were aimed at influencing the electoral choice for Jewish voters. Partly because of that, he demanded that Mr. Toews or the Conservative Party repay the Commons for the cost of the distribution.

"The flyer was in the format on an electoral option," he said, noting the circular included a photograph of Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) and what appeared to be an electoral ballot with the names of all the major party leaders, including Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

"Constituents were asked to mark their electoral choice in respect of the parties," Mr. Cotler said. "I want to suggest to you that the sending of such a flyer in the form of an electoral solicitation outside the framework of an electoral writ is, in my view, an inappropriate use of the flyers."

Mr. Goldring expressed a similar view, saying the NDP flyers being circulated in his riding promote the election of Ray Martin, the former leader of the Alberta NDP who is attempting for the third time to be elected to the House of Commons. "That's exactly why the NDP are targeting Edmonton East. They're preparing for the next election and Ray Martin was a former provincial NDP leader and they're creating a bit of a re-name recognition for him."

Liberal MP Joe Volpe (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.) was also targeted by the same Conservative flyer that circulated in Mr. Cotler's riding. Like Mr. Cotler's riding, Mr. Volpe's riding includes a large Jewish population.

Mr. Volpe said Commons bylaws stipulate MPs cannot be "overtly partisan" with the Ten Percenters and other literature they circulate as MPs. "Well, you can't get more partisan than putting on your logo [the flyers in Mr. Volpe's riding and Mr. Cotler's contained the 2006 Conservative election slogan: Stand Up For Canada] and party name."

The House Affairs Committee has set a deadline of Jan. 15 for all parties to submit names for a list of witnesses in Mr. Cotler's privilege complaint, which could prove to be one of the most controversial inquiries the rules committee has yet undertaken.

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