Vancouver MP Blair Wilson resigned from the federal Liberal caucus on Sunday, following accusations that he didn't disclose all his expenses during the 2006 federal election.

MP Blair Wilson resigned Sunday from the Liberal caucus.
(Courtesy blairwilson.ca)

Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion confirmed the news in a written statement Sunday night.

"I have accepted Mr. Wilson's resignation from his position as national revenue critic, and as a member of our national caucus, effective immediately," he said.

Wilson denied the allegations and said in a written statement that he is confident his name will be cleared.

He has not suggested he is leaving his post as MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast, which means he will have to sit as an Independent.

"I will collaborate fully with Elections Canada, and do whatever I can to help expedite its investigation into the allegations," Wilson said.

Thea Reardon, Wilson's regional campaign manager in Squamish during the January 2006 election, said she saw nothing questionable during the campaign.

"I didn't see any irregularities," Reardon told CBC News on Monday morning, "I think he is a very, very nice man … I never, never experienced anything not out of the ordinary — just a very nice man."

Allegations from ex-campaigners

The allegations came to light on Sunday, when Wilson's former campaign workers told the Province newspaper that Wilson allegedly made cash payments and didn't report them as part of his spending.

Wilson officially reported $82,303.71 in expenses for the 2006 campaign, below the permitted limit of $93,260.52, according to Elections Canada.

According to the Province, one citizen in Wilson's riding has filed a challenge to Elections Canada commissioner William Corbett, asking that Wilson's expenditures be investigated.

"The election result was very close and had Mr. Wilson actually only spent what he was allowed to, he may well have lost," the submission alleges, according to the Province.

"In the interest of a fair and accountable democratic election process, Mr. Wilson's campaign must be investigated."

Wilson won the election on Jan. 23, 2006 by fewer than 1,000 votes. Voters in the West Vancouver riding cast 22,891 votes for Conservative John Weston, compared to 23,867 for Wilson.

Liberals criticized Conservatives

Dion praised Wilson for asking Elections Canada to investigate the matter. Dion said the allegations against Wilson are serious and that they raise questions that must be addressed immediately.

"I have instructed the Liberal Party of Canada to provide whatever assistance they can to Elections Canada as it reviews the allegations," Dion said in his statement.

The allegations come after the Liberal party has spent the past month criticizing the Conservatives for their own election campaign spending.

In question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Monday, Liberal MP Marlene Jennings said that Wilson did the right thing by stepping down "at the first hint" of any questions about his campaign expenses.

She said that at least six Conservative MPs have already been implicated in an election financing scandal and asked for their resignations.

"Will the government demonstrate true leadership and demand resignations from its six ministers?" asked Jennings.

Elections Canada is investigating whether dozens of Conservative candidates improperly funnelled $1.2 million in national advertising costs over to regional candidates during the last election to escape federal election spending limits.

Elections Canada has refused to reimburse candidates for the advertising expenses, a ruling the Conservative party is challenging in court.

With files from the Canadian Press