RCMP Watch

Ottawa (Reuters) - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and elections officials raided the Ottawa headquarters of the ruling Conservative Party on Tuesday, but officials declined to comment on the subject of the investigation.

A crowd of reporters watched as two police officers arrived with a trolley-load of cases and entered one of the party’s offices. Other investigators could be seen milling about inside the building.

“I can confirm that the commissioner of Canada Elections has requested the assistance of the RCMP in the execution of a search warrant,” said John Enright, a spokesman for Elections Canada.

Enright said the agency had no further comment.

An RCMP spokesman said the investigation was being directed by Elections Canada, which regulates and monitors all Canadian elections.

Calls to the Conservative Party were not immediately returned.

Media reports have linked the investigation to allegations that the Conservatives spent too much on advertising in the election campaign leading up to the January 23, 2006, vote that saw them win a minority government.

A published report in February said Elections Canada had refused to reimburse C$1.2 million ($1.2 million) in expenses that 67 Conservative candidates had claimed for television and radio advertisements produced by the national party.

The party was limited to spending C$18.3 million for the campaign, including ads, and the advertising costs claimed by the candidates would have taken the party more than C$850,000 over its limit, the Ottawa Citizen reported.

Opposition parties have accused the Conservatives of stalling efforts by a House of Commons committee to investigate the transfer of advertising money.

A Liberal Party cameraman was seen videotaping the raid, and a party official gleefully noted to reporters that it was happening during what the Conservative government had officially labeled “Justice Week.”