Fundraising questions raised as Kenney, UCP delegates prepare for annual meeting
CBC
Two legislature members are asking Alberta's chief electoral officer to investigate allegations of potential fundraising violations tied to this weekend's annual meeting of Premier Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party.
Todd Loewen, an Independent MLA and a former member of Kenney's caucus, and Opposition NDP critic Thomas Dang have both sent letters to Glen Resler.
Both are responding to unconfirmed reports that Airdrie-Cochrane backbencher, Peter Guthrie, raised with Kenney on Monday.
Guthrie told Kenney he had heard reports of third parties being offered to have their convention fees paid, along with other inducements, in return for votes on premier-friendly issues at the meeting in Calgary.
Loewen and Dang say they have questions over whether such payments, if made, violate provincial fundraising laws.
Elections Alberta cannot by law discuss investigations it may or may not be conducting.
Kenney, asked about Guthrie's allegations, says it's not unusual for some delegates, such as young people, to receive financial support to help them attend the meetings.
"I'm not surprised that political organizations are being involved in a political convention. That's not new," Kenney said Wednesday. "Of course, we expect they follow all the necessary rules and guidelines."
Kenney has been dealing with mounting discontent within his caucus and party over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues.
Party fundraising is trailing the NDP and Kenney's popularity poll numbers have plunged in recent months, raising concerns whether the party can win the spring 2023 election with him as leader.
Loewen said he worries the alleged contribution scheme could be used to unfairly tip the balance to vote in new party board members willing to do Kenney's bidding.
"We want to see fairness in our elections," Loewen told reporters at the legislature.
Loewen and fellow UCP member Drew Barnes were voted out of caucus in the spring for their criticism of Kenney. Loewen also called for Kenney to resign.
A clash is expected at the Calgary meeting over when to hold the next leadership vote on Kenney. It's a critical decision. If Kenney were not to win a simple majority, he would be out of the top job.
At a time when Canada is vastly expanding its child-care system, and just eight months after a major E. coli outbreak in Calgary child-care centres, an Alberta Health Services analysis shows the province is lagging in its rate of daycare inspections, falling far short of its guideline of at least two inspections per year at each of the province's licensed daycare centres.