Campaign staffer resigns after N.S. PCs accused of vote-buying with Tim's gift cards

HALIFAX -

The Nova Scotia Liberal Party has filed a complaint with Elections Nova Scotia, accusing a Progressive Conservative candidate of trying to buy votes by allegedly handing out gift cards outside of a Tim Hortons. 

The Liberals say a witness reported seeing a campaign worker with PC candidate Susan Corkum-Greek distributing gift cards on Saturday near the drive-thru entrance to the Victoria Road Tim Hortons in Lunenburg, N.S. 

The complainant alleges that Corkum-Green stood at the other end of the drive-thru thanking customers and requesting their vote in the upcoming election. 

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The Liberals believe this may violate a section of the Nova Scotia Elections Act, which prohibits “corrupt practices,” including bribes and the offering of bribes to sway votes.

Elections Nova Scotia confirmed it received the complaint and is looking into the matter.

PC Leader Tim Houston downplayed the drive-thru issue Tuesday, suggesting it’s not uncommon for political events to have coffee and doughnuts.

“I understand it had something to do with free coffee,” said Houston, when asked by reporters about the gift cards.

Houston said he was in the area and campaigned with Corkum-Greek later that afternoon but said he wasn’t part of the campaigning at the doughnut shop and said handing out gift cards wasn’t part of a wider campaign strategy.

“It’s not a strategy of the party,” said Houston. “Local campaigns make decisions and we’ll see what Elections Nova Scotia says about this one.”

PC staffer resigns amid allegations

Following the complaint, Lunenburg PC campaign manager Peter Zwicker issued a written statement notifying the PCs that he was resigning from his position, and acknowledged his role in the incident.

“I don’t want to be a distraction from the good work the campaign is doing, so I have decided the best thing to do is to step away,” said Zwicker in the statement.

Zwicker explained the campaign had hosted a meet and greet at the local Tim Hortons and he was looking to buy coffee for all the patrons. After a discussion with store staff, he decided to buy gift cards of $2.07 each – the exact amount of a medium coffee – and handed those out.

Zwicker says the total cost was $51.75 and the candidate wasn’t aware of the purchase and handout.

“I am sincerely sorry that my actions have caused a distraction to a candidate I have so much respect for,” said Zwicker.

Liberal Leader Zach  Churchill criticized the PCs, saying they show no regard for the rules.

“We’ve seen time and time again that Mr. Houston and his team are willing to break the rules to gain advantage,” said Churchill.

“He broke his first law, which was a fixed election date, and we are here running eight months before that was to happen.”

After being elected in 2021, one of Houston’s first moves as premier was to pass a bill to introduce a fixed election date for Nova Scotia, set for July 15, 2025, but it was within his right to call an election now.

As for the gift cards, Churchill says his party received the complaint from someone in Lunenburg, saying that gift cards were being distributed, which prompted the complaint to the election officer.

“That certainly is worthy of an investigation,” said Churchill. “We’ll see what Elections Nova Scotia determines.”

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.