Two 11-year-olds donated $10,800 to Joe Volpe's Liberal leadership campaign, and their 14-year-old brother gave another $5,400.
The sums were from children of former Apotex Inc. vice-president Allen Shechtman and were among the 20 donations totalling $108,000 to Mr. Volpe's campaign from five current and former executives of the firm and 15 of their family members.
In his first report of leadership campaign donations to Elections Canada filed last month, Mr. Volpe reported that he received 29 donations on April 20 totalling $152,700. Just over 70 per cent came from 20 donations of $5,400 made by the current and former executives of Apotex Inc. , and members of their families.
Earlier, however, Mr. Volpe's national campaign co-ordinator, Scarborough MP Jim Karygiannis, insisted that nothing was wrong with the donations from 11-year-olds, and noted that it is legal for children of any age to donate to an election campaign.Mr. Volpe's spokesman, Corey Hobbs, said Monday that all the donations are in full compliance with the law, and that none will be returned.
Companies are banned by law from donating to leadership campaigns, and individuals can donate only as much as $5,400. It is also illegal to make a donation on behalf of someone else.
