Opps

TORONTO - A young woman with a fistful of cash stood at the back of Ralph Nader's speech in Toronto on Monday, handing bills to people as they left.

The money had been donated to Mr. Nader's presidential bid by well-meaning Canadians, but only American citizens and permanent residents can contribute to U. S. political campaigns. As a champion of electoral reform and long-standing paragon of virtue, Mr. Nader would have had a hard time accepting.

The 74-year-old visited Toronto this week as part of his fourth presidential campaign. He told 150 supporters at an event held at the city's former stock exchange that many of the ideas he espoused -- such as single-payer health care, a multi-party political system and carbon taxes -- were already in place in Canada. But the independent candidate was also in Canada to raise funds from the expatriate community. After his speech, Mr. Nader called upon Matthew Zawisky, a 28-year-old supporter, to solicit funds. In a bit of barnstorming, Mr. Zawisky asked if an American in the audience would donate $4,600 -- the maximum amount a U. S. citizen can contribute to presidential campaigns under their country's law.

In exchange for the tiptop gift, Mr. Zawisky said the donor would receive a copy of Mr. Nader's book Unsafe at Any Speed.

When nobody stepped forward, Mr. Zawisky dropped his request to $2,300, then $1,000 and finally $500. As the dollar amounts fell lower and lower -- and an uncomfortable silence settled in--Canadians in the crowd began to ask if they could contribute. Mr. Zawisky said donations could only come from Americans. Someone then suggested the crowd give their money to a U. S. citizen, who could then donate it.

An American in the audience who identified herself only as "Liza" volunteered to serve as an intermediary. Eager Canadians were soon approaching the young woman with 10-and 20-dollar bills.

Toby Heaps, a Canadian who volunteers for the Nader campaign, quickly approached reporters to clarify the situation. The Nader campaign could never accept the tainted Canadian funds, Mr. Heaps assured.

The money was briefly handed over to the campaign, but later returned to Liza. As she spoke with organizers, there appeared to be some confusion over whether she could keep the money and use it to make a donation online or whether she needed to give it back to the original donors.

There was further uncertainty when the young woman left the event before its conclusion, prompting Mr. Heaps to chase her down the stairs outside the hall to make sure the money was given back to its sources. She agreed to stand at the back of the room with the cash and return it to people as they left.

Alongside vice-presidential hopeful Matt Gonzalez, a former municipal politician in San Francisco, Mr. Nader is mounting his fourth bid for the presidency. He ran as a Green party candidate in 1996 and 2000. In 2004, he appeared on the ballot as an independent.

jcowan@nationalpost.com