Campaign worker in Guelph faces first charge in 2011 election robocalls affair

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A man casts his vote for the 2011 federal election in Toronto in this May 2, 2011 photo.The first charge has been laid following Elections Canada\'s investigation of fraudulent robocalls during the 2011 federal election campaign.The lawyer for Michael Sona, a young campaign worker for the local Conservative candidate in Guelph, Ont., confirms he faces a single charge.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

OTTAWA – The first charge has been laid following Elections Canada’s investigation of fraudulent robocalls during the 2011 federal election campaign.

The lawyer for Michael Sona, a young campaign worker for the local Conservative candidate in Guelph, Ont., confirms he faces a single charge.

Sona was initially fingered by sources in the Conservative party but has loudly and repeatedly asserted that he was being made a scapegoat by party brass.

His lawyer, Norm Boxall, repeated that allegation in a statement today, saying that if the government was serious about getting to the bottom of the affair it would call a public inquiry.

Voters in Guelph and other ridings across Canada reported receiving calls falsely claiming to be from Elections Canada that said their polling stations had been moved.

Neither Elections Canada nor the public prosecutors’ office would comment on the charge.

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