MEMBERSHIP FORGERY CASE ENDS WITH GUILTY PLEA

Ernest Morin today pleaded guilty to attempting to utter forged documents. Morin was also sentenced today and received a $3,000 fine.

This concludes charges arising from an investigation that began in June of 2009 after RCMP received a complaint that NDP membership applications submitted during the party's leadership campaign were forged. It was alleged that members of the Flying Dust and Waterhen Lake First Nations were signed up en masse for memberships without their consent or knowledge. The charge represents roughly 1,100 membership applications.

The results of the RCMP investigation into this matter were turned over to the Public Prosecutions branch of the Manitoba Department of Justice in September of 2009.

A Crown prosecutor with Manitoba Justice reviewed the file and recommended charges be laid against Morin. Upon the guilty plea to attempting to utter forged documents, the remaining charges were stayed.

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For more information, contact:

Noel Busse
Justice
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8959
Email: noel.busse@gov.sk.ca