By DEIRDE MITCHELL-MacLEAN.The “non-profit, non-partisan, national citizen advocacy group” has requested a police investigation into the provincial government’s removal of Alberta’s Elections Commissioner through the passing of omnibus Bill 22..Democracy Watch sent a letter to the Alberta RCMP. via the Edmonton Police Service requesting an investigation into whether United Conservative Party cabinet ministers violated ethics laws either by discussing or voting on the Bill that eliminated the Election Commissioner’s Office and with it, Alberta’s Election Commissioner Lorne Gibson’s role..The letter specifically requests an investigation into “the actions of Premier Jason Kenney and his Cabinet” in drafting, developing and debating the Bill..Introduced in the Legislature on Nov. 18, the Reform Agencies, Boards and Commissions, and Government Enterprises Act, returned the Office of the Election Commissioner to Elections Alberta..The move officially terminated Gibson’s contract..Kenney was not in the Legislature for the debate on Bill 22 as he flew to Texas on the evening of the Nov. 18 and did not return until after the Bill had been passed in the Legislature by the majority UCP government, and received Royal Assent on Nov. 21. .The letter from Democracy Watch points to the Criminal Code’s “obstruction of justice” provision; 139(2) Every person who wilfully attempts in any manner… to obstruct, pervert or defeat the course of justice is guilty of an indictable offence… “.Further, it refers to section 153.01 of Alberta’s Election Act, that states “the Election Commissioner is appointed for a term of five years, removable only for cause or incapacity.”.Upon his return from Texas on tNov. 22, Kenney said he did not see a conflict of interest..“Bill 22 included a consolidation of two separate bureaucracies performing redundant functions into one. I don’t see a conflict of interest in maintaining the consistent position of our Party since we were in opposition two years ago.,” he said..The conflict of interest, Democracy Watch alleges, potentially lies in the fact that the Election Commissioner has handed down over $200,000 in fines to individuals associated with the UCP’s 2017 leadership race. .The RCMP is conducting a separate investigation into allegations of identity fraud during the race..At the time of dissolution of the Office of the Election Commissioner, Democracy Watch claims there were still over 75 complaints awaiting assignment.
