Allen wants to get read on constituents
Won’t resign seat until he sees if trust can be rebuilt
EDMONTON — MLA Mike Allen won’t resign his seat following a prostitution charge last week, saying he’ll instead consult with his constituents before the Alberta legislature resumes this fall.
Allen, 51, made the announcement at a news conference Monday morning at his Fort McMurray constituency office.
“I committed to having a conversation with my community prior to making a decision about my future and I will not short-circuit that conversation by stepping aside immediately,” Allen said in a statement released after the news conference.
“And so, I do not intend at this time to resign as MLA.”
Allen said he will spend the next weeks talking with the community about whether he can continue to serve its interests. He will make a decision before the next legislature session begins Oct. 28.
The Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA was charged Friday in St. Paul, Minn., with one count of prostitution, a gross misdemeanour that carries a maximum punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $3,000.
Allen was in the city representing the Alberta government at a U.S. lawmakers conference when he allegedly agreed to exchange money for sex with two undercover female police officers posing as prostitutes.
He has since repaid the costs associated with the trip.
“It was a mistake for which there are no excuses and for which I accept full responsibility,” he said. “This is a deeply embarrassing time and I profoundly regret the distress I have caused in my community.”
Allen said the incident doesn’t represent a pattern of past behav- iour and won’t be repeated. He will take time to “reflect on the personal circumstances” in his life that led to his decisions in St. Paul to ensure he never makes “this kind of mistake” again. “This incident has greatly damaged the trust established between me and my community, and before I make any decision about my future I have to explore whether or not that trust can be rebuilt,” he said.
“I have thought long and hard about my future over the last few days as I have had a great deal of time to reflect on what occurred and about what to do next.”
According to a Minnesota court statement of probable cause, Allen was arrested the night of July 15 in a “john sweep,” where a female officer posing as a prostitute placed an ad in the erotic services section of the website backpage.com. The document says Allen called the of- ficer about 7:30 p.m. local time and “asked to schedule an appointment,” then questioned her on “the various costs, the amounts of time, and the numbers of available women.”
The document also says Allen took a limousine to a motel, and went to the officer’s room. He allegedly agreed to pay $200 for sex with two women for one hour, using a condom. The court statement says Allen put the cash on the counter and began to undress. He was arrested after the undercover officer signalled for other officers to enter the room. He’s scheduled to appear in court in St. Paul Sept. 30.
Allen did not discuss any details surrounding the charge, saying he hasn’t consulted a lawyer.
The rookie MLA said he resigned Tuesday from the government caucus because he didn’t want the controversy to affect the government or party.
Last Thursday, Premier Alison Redford used the words “disgusted,” “shocked” and “disappointed” in describing her reaction.
Allen, who previously served two terms as city councillor in Fort Mc- Murray, said he will do what he can to advance the interests of city, but added the decision about who represents it is ultimately in the hands of his constituents.
“I have never been one not to face responsibility for my actions and I will go through the process of having a conversation with the community I am ultimately accountable to.”
However, Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said the community’s desire for Allen to resign has already been made clear in a new survey commissioned by her party.
Although the results are statistically questionable, 65 per cent of respondents across Fort McMurray said they wanted Allen to resign his seat. Among respondents in Allen’s riding of Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, 69 per cent said he should step down.
“If he’s serious about following his constituent’s wishes then there is only one course of action he can take: Resign,” Smith said in a statement.