The prime minister鈥檚 former pointman on electoral fraud allegations walked into an Ontario courtroom Thursday grinning and saying he was 鈥渘ot at all鈥� nervous, calling the sentencing hearing 鈥渏ust another step.鈥�
But Dean Del Mastro, former Conservative MP for Peterborough, was no longer smiling when he walked out of court in handcuffs before being transported to jail in Lindsay, Ont.
Del Mastro was sentenced to one month in jail, to be followed by four months of house arrest, 18 months of probation, a $10,000 fine and a five-year ban on public office.
Superior Court Justice Lisa Cameron said the jail time was needed for 鈥渄enunciation and deterrence,鈥� of what she called an 鈥渁ffront鈥� to Canada鈥檚 democracy.
"He was prepared not only to break the rules but to be deceitful about it," Cameron said. "This type of cheating and lying will result in serious sanctions."
Del Mastro was found guilty last fall of violating the Canada Elections Act during the 2008 federal election.
Cameron found he had knowingly exceeded spending limits, failed to report a personal contribution of $21,000 to his campaign and submitted a falsified document.
Del Mastro continues to maintain his innocence and his lawyer will seek bail on Friday, pending an appeal.
鈥淢r. Del Mastro has the utmost faith in the judicial system and we鈥檒l see where the court of appeal takes it,鈥� said defence attorney Leo Adler.
Adler said the appeal would be based on "substantial errors" made by the trial judge.
Cameron rejected Adler鈥檚 request to allow Del Mastro to serve his jail time intermittently.
Crown attorney Tom Lemon, who had asked for 12 months in jail, said he was satisfied with the sentence.
鈥淚t has to be significant enough that it sends the message that this kind of conduct will not be tolerated,鈥� said Lemon.
Accountant Richard McCarthy, 68, who was Del Mastro's agent, was given a two-month conditional sentence plus one year of probation for his role. Cameron said McCarthy had acquiesced to the machinations -- or at least was "wilfully blind" to them -- but was much less culpable.
In Ottawa, the Opposition New Democrats noted that other Tories have also been convicted for electoral fraud.
"Conservatives have now been convicted of cheating in every election they won," the NDP said in a statement.
Michael Sona, a former Conservative staffer, was convicted last year in the 2011 robocalls scandal. The Conservative Party pleaded guilty to exceeding election spending limits and submitting fraudulent election records in the 2006 election.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel, speaking in Quebec City, said he didn't think Del Mastro's conviction and sentence would affect the Conservative banner.
"I think Canadians will be able to make the distinction between an individual and a political party," he said.
Del Mastro resigned his Peterborough seat in the House of Commons -- where he had been sitting as an Independent since being charged -- shortly after his conviction last year.
With a report from CTV鈥檚 Peter Akman and files from The Canadian Press
