Former Harper Aide Pitched Business Deal to Government

The RCMP are investigating Bruce Carson for allegedly breaking laws prohibiting lobbying by former government staffers.

This is one potential scandal the Conservatives are taking seriously. A spokeswoman for Indian Affairs Minister John Duncan said that Carson made a business pitch to the department on behalf of a private company in recent months, an admission that came a day after the government called in the RCMP to investigate the man who used to be one of Stephen Harper’s closest advisers. Carson quit the Prime Minister’s Office in 2008, and it’s alleged he engaged in unregistered lobbying after leaving government, breaking laws that prohibit influence-peddling by former political staffers. It’s the second time in three days that the government has asked the RCMP to investigate a former Conservative staffer. Sebastian Tongeri allegedly improperly interfered with an access-to-information request.