OTTAWA, Aug 16, 2001 (LSN.ca) – A document written by a member of Preston Manning’s campaign team and notarized by a Calgary lawyer, suggests that the conspiracy to overthrow Stockwell Day was conceived even before Day won the leadership. The memo, obtained by CTV News, revealed a conversation between 25 people involved in a conference call. In the memo, a senior Manning operative said of Day: “If he doesn’t implode before the leadership vote, we will ensure he implodes after the leadership race is over.”
CTV reports that “the letter mentions one high-profile MP who supported the plan, and one who didn’t. Both are now members of the rebel Alliance caucus.” In a follow-up story by the Canadian Press, it is reported that the document said that among those involved in the conference call were MP Deborah Grey, a member of the Democratic Representative Caucus, as well as former Alliance election chair Rick Anderson.
The author of the document, who asked that his name be withheld, said Preston Manning did not participate in the call, and that Manning ” … must believe in his heart that he had nothing to do with this effort.”