Naheed Nenshi’s campaign team said Wednesday there’s nothing untoward about a donation from one of the owners of the Ottawa Redblacks football team.
Nenshi’s list of donors, which he released on Tuesday, revealed that John Ruddy had made a contribution in the category of $2,500 to $5,000.
Under the Local Authorities Election Act, a person from outside the province can’t make a donation to a municipal campaign. However, under Sections 147.1(1)(g)(viii) and 147(2)(3), corporations that do business in Alberta can do so.
Nenshi’s campaign team is claiming a clerical screw up. In a statement, it said the donation from Ruddy should have been attributed to Trinity Development Group Inc., which does business in the province.
Chima Nkemdirim, chair of the Nenshi campaign, said in the statement that Ruddy made the donation online through a corporate credit card and the campaign incorrectly attributed it to him and not the corporation.
“We have reviewed the donation that was attributed to Mr. Ruddy and we have determined that the donation should have been attributed to Trinity Development, which does business in Alberta,” he said.
The campaign also claims that Fayez Investments Inc., which made a donation in the range of $2,500 to $5,000, also does business in the province. The company is also based out of Ottawa.