As our astute readers know, former provincial cabinet minister Joyce Murray is running for the federal Liberal nomination Vancouver Quadra. But, in an interview with Public Eye last Friday, Ms. Murray confirmed she still owes money to Gerry Lenoski, who was her campaign manager during the last election and is now a nomination hopeful in Burnaby-New Westminster. Ms. Murray explained that, when she became the Liberal candidate in New Westminster-Coquitlam on November 20, 2005, the constituency had "no riding association, no funds, no organization and so it was a standing start." As a result, her campaign was "counting on the election rebate funds as part of our election budget. And we assumed those rebates would come a lot sooner than they have."

Continued Ms. Murray, "As soon as that comes in, we'll be paying the outstanding debts. And I'm advised by my financial agent that there's going to be enough funds to cover them all. It's a matter of timing. And, unfortunately, Elections Canada has just been very, very slow" in issuing election expense reimbursements. "We don't have any recourse to retire that debt in any other way legally at this point because our financial agent...had to declare how the costs were going to be paid for. And it's going to be paid for by the rebate. That's what I understand. But we are not able to legally handle it in any other way." She added there are other candidates facing similar challenges.