Adscam whistleblower to seek Conservative party nomination

OTTAWA -- A former civil servant who refused to go along with the way the sponsorship program was run will seek a Conservative nomination in the federal election expected to be called next week.

Retired Public Works employee Allan Cutler's candidacy was announced by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper at the party's weekly caucus meeting.

Cutler was the civil servant who blew the whistle on bid-rigging and political interference in the sponsorship program before being removed from his job by the man who ran the program, Chuck Guite.

Cutler, 56, teaches and is a consultant on government ethics.

If Cutler wins the nomination as Tory candidate in the riding of Ottawa South, his opponents will include Liberal David McGuinty, brother of Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

© Broadcast News 2005

Michael McCafferty comments:

Allan Cutler will make an 'outstanding' Conservative member of parliament because he is a man of honor and integrity.