Doug Finley

Michael Douglas Finley (July 25, 1946 – May 11, 2013) was a Canadian Senator and was Campaign Director for the Conservative Party of Canada during the 2006 and 2008 federal elections and the party's director of Political Operations.

Biography

Finley was born in Exeter, England, and later raised in Hamilton, Scotland. Later in his business career he worked as General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Fernlea Flowers, of Delhi, Ontario.

Douglas Finley was described as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "number two man" and an "attack dog", responsible for vetting and disciplining candidates and MPs. Prior to his involvement with Canadian federal politics, Finley was involved with the Scottish National Party. His first Canadian federal political involvement was in the 1974 campaign of Liberal candidate Rod Blaker, who was campaigning for re-election in the Quebec riding of Lachine. He later was involved with the former Reform and Canadian Alliance parties, predecessor parties to the Conservative Party of Canada.

Finley was married to cabinet minister Diane Finley, his second wife,

While working as Campaign Director for the Conservative Party of Canada during the 2006 federal election, Finley, with his colleagues Irving Gerstein, Michael Donison and Susan Kehoe, was involved in what became known as the In and Out scandal,