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A grieving father in Prince George, B.C., says his dead son's legacy is being dragged through the mud.
Ron McCully's son, Matthew, was killed by a bomb in Afghanistan, and now McCully says his dream of honouring his son with a high-profile national foundation to support other soldiers is in ruins because of the broken promises of a public relations consultant.
Cpl. Matthew McCully, 25, of Orangeville, Ont., was killed when he stepped on a bomb while on foot patrol with Canadian and Afghan soldiers on May 25, 2007. He was the 55th soldier killed in Afghanistan.
Joshua Baba helped launch the Matthew McCully Foundation in Prince George on Oct. 10, telling reporters he'd contribute the first $10,000 before organizing a gala fundraiser and a cross-country tour with the grieving father.
The foundation was supposed to raise funds for a monument in Kingston, Ont., start a national Support Our Troops Speaking Tour and rally national support to keep Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
McCully said Baba never delivered on his promises.
"He fell very short of what he promised. I can't believe someone would take the name of someone who died in service of their country and muddy that name," Ron McCully said on Tuesday.
McCully said he's angry and ashamed that he was taken in by Baba's promises.
"Still a lot of pain, a lot of humiliation, a lot of shame, that we could get taken in by somebody like this," he said.
Joshua Baba promised to kickstart the Stand Up Calgary campaign with a personal $10,000 donation on July 31. (CBC)
While McCully's plans to honour his son with a national foundation have floundered, Baba has turned up in Calgary, promising $10,000 to a new campaign to fight crime there.
On July 31, 2008, he was quoted in the Calgary media, including by the CBC, as he launched a group called Stand Up Calgary — once again promising to put up $10,000 of his own money to get the group going, and hoping other business leaders will chip in.
"This is about doing what's right for Calgary. I think Calgarians are fed up with rhetoric.... What they want is action," Baba was quoted as saying.
McCulley said Baba's new promises are "hauntingly familiar."
Baba refused to answer questions from the CBC, saying he's trying to resolve things before he comments.
The CBC has learned Joshua Baba was also director of communications for the Alberta Wild Rose Alliance Party, speaking for them as recently as election night this year, but Jeff Calloway, the party's president, had little to say about Baba.
"Mr. Baba had a short-term contract with the party. He has no association, present or ongoing, or within the last couple of months. His contract was short, and we have no ongoing association."
Party leader Paul Hinman confirmed to the CBC that Baba no longer works for them and that he took off unexpectedly, leaving behind no contact information, but a $2,000 phone bill.
The CBC has also learned Baba went by another name, Josh Bredo. He once worked for Conservative MP Dick Harris in Prince George.
After he left his job with the MP in 2004, Bredo alleged financial impropriety and helped launch an RCMP investigation. Harris was never charged.
When contacted by the CBC on Tuesday, Harris would say only, "I have nothing to say about Mr. Baba. I have nothing to say about Mr. Baba."
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