The United Conservative Party has introduced a motion that would lead to the elimination of a standalone elections commissioner’s office – the group investigating breaches of the Elections Act by the UCP..The office has already levied tens of thousands of dollars of fine in breaches leading up to the UCP’s leadership vote that elected now-premier Jason Kenney..And in a move described as “sickeningly anti-democratic,” the UCP invoked closure on all three reading of the bill..Bill 22, the Reform of Agencies, Boards and Commissions and Government Enterprises Act, if getting Royal assent, would see current election commissioner Lorne Gibson fired and his staff transferred to the office of Alberta’s chief electoral officer..That officer would be then be responsible for hiring a new elections commissioner. Gibson had a contract lasting until 2023..Finance Minister Travis Toews said at a press briefing firing Gibson and combining the offices is purely for administrative efficiencies..He said it should save $1 million in the next five years, Toews said..He said the government can’t force the electoral office to continue any current investigations because they are independent..Premier Jason Kenney was in Texas Monday and unavaiable for comment..Calgary NDP MLA Kathleen Ganley noted the UCP invoked closures on all three levels of the bill..“This is sickeningly anti-democratic,” she tweeted..“They are so embarrassed by their actions they invoked closure before they even introduced the bill.”.Toews said he can’t compel the chief electoral officer to continue any current, ongoing investigations because the office is independent..Gibson’s office has handed out $211,000 in fines against people and organizations involved with Jeff Callaway, who ran for leadership of the UCP in 2017..Callaway was also fined for accepting donations he ought to have known were prohibited.
