• Nov. 29, 2005: Writ is dropped for the 39th general election
• Jan. 23, 2006: Conservative Party wins 124 of 308 seats, forming a minority government
• Oct. 20, 2006: Elections Canada auditor questions the official agent of Tory candidate Elizabeth Pagtakhan (Vancouver East) about a $29,999.70 election expense. According to court documents, Denny Pagtakhan told the auditor, “I think we contributed to TV national advertising. There was no way we can spend our limit so we were asked by the Party if we can help contribute”
• Nov. 29, 2006: Elections Canada sends letters to 11 Conservative candidates requesting additional documents related to their advertising expenses
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• Jan. 25, 2007: Conservative Party chief financial officer Ann O'Grady writes to Elections Canada stating the Conservative Fund Canada facilitated regional media buys through Toronto firm Retail Media and candidate campaigns. The letter notes that 68 candidates chose to participate
• Feb. 16, 2007: Elections Canada writes to Ms. O'Grady requesting clarification on how billing amounts for each campaign were calculated. The letter also asks why certain campaigns were not billed despite receiving the benefits of the ads
• April 5, 2007: The ad buy issue is referred to William Corbett, Commissioner of Canada Elections. He is an independent, non-partisan officer responsible for the enforcement of the Canada Elections Act and the Referendum Act
• April 11, 2007: Conservatives request a meeting with Elections Canada officials. In attendance are Ms. O'Grady, Chief Electoral Officer Marc Mayrand, his deputy, Diane Davidson, Susan Kehoe, then interim executive director of the party, and Conservative lawyer Paul Lepsoe. Party officials are informed that the issue has been referred to Mr. Corbett. Conservative officials request that Elections Canada deal directly with the party, not individual candidates
• April 12, 2007: Ms. Kehoe addresses the ad buy arrangement in a letter to Mr. Mayrand. She characterizes the transactions as "regional media buys," not national ones. She noted that whenever a local campaign contributed to the cost of an ad, "it was broadcast in at least part of the electoral district"
• April 13, 2007: Letters sent to 14 Conservative candidates informing them that Mr. Mayrand is not satisfied with their advertising expenses and will not reimburse them
• April 23-24, 2007: Another 41 candidates are notified their expenses are under review
• May 14, 2007: Conservative Party seeks judicial review of Mr. Mayrand's expense decision in federal court
• Aug.-Sept., 2007: Another five candidates are advised their expenses won't be reimbursed
• April 9, 2008: A judge grants a search warrant at the behest of Mr. Corbett's office
• April 15-16: RCMP officers assist in the execution of the warrant at Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa. Boxes of documents are removed
• April 16-17: The cross-examination of Janice Vézina, associate deputy chief electoral officer in charge of political financing, by Conservative Party lawyers is postponed. The Tories suggest the raid on their headquarters is proof Elections Canada's case against them is weak
• April 29, 2008: Conservative MPs vote against a Bloc Québécois motion expressing "full and complete confidence in Elections Canada and the Commissioner of Canada Elections." The opposition unites to pass the motion 152-117
Compiled by Brodie Fenlon. Source: Elections Canada, Globe and Mail files and The Canadian Press
