Teachers’ group CEO investigates official’s conduct

The Alberta Teachers’ Association’s CEO is investigating a former returning officer who has overseen the organization’s elections for 17 years.

The association’s executive secretary removed the returning officer from his post less than two weeks before teachers across Alberta voted for provincial and local representatives in March — an unprecedented move, according to executive secretary and CEO Gordon Thomas.

A defeated presidential candidate says the association should disqualify the organization’s president-elect and hold a byelection.

“I think any person who is in a democracy should care about the institutions within,” said former candidate Kelly Maroney, who teaches social studies, science and psychology at McNally High School. “Maybe now, more than ever, we need democracy to live up to its promise.”

Current association vice-president Greg Jeffery won the March election and is set to become president July 1. The other sitting association vice-president, Robert Twerdoclib, came second, and Maroney was third. Teachers also elected two vice-presidents and district representatives across the province.

Maroney describes himself as an outsider to the association. He never expected to win, but said he did expect a fair election process.

New returning officer Brian Andrais investigated whether any election rules were broken and concluded the process was fair.

After lodging complaints about the election process with the previous returning officer, Marvin Hackman, Maroney received a peculiar voice mail in early March, less than two weeks before teachers were set to vote.

In the voice mail, which is about five minutes long, Hackman tells Maroney he has looked into his complaints about favouritism to Jeffery, and said they were unfounded. There is a clicking sound, but Hackman fails to properly disconnect the call. Four seconds later, Hackman can be heard talking to now presidentelect Jeffery.

Andrais’ investigation report includes a transcript of the unintentionally recorded conversation between Hackman and Jeffery.

Hackman tells Jeffery he can “speak under an umbrella.”

Jeffery said: “I feel like I’m getting tarred by this brush and I’m not enjoying it very much.”

Hackman tells Jeffery the election complaints are “a concerted effort between the other two candidates.”

“... I’ve literally had to say to him, ‘Kelly, stop this. I have heard. It’s not a Trumpian election. You know. If you’re going to make assertions, give me names.’ ”

Hackman tells Jeffery the other candidate, Twerdoclib, had also accused the association of favouring Jeffery during the campaign.

The voice-mail message cuts off about four minutes into their conversation.

Maroney said he’s upset the returning officer would discuss his complaints with his opponent and he is unhappy Jeffery may have been in the room when Hackman called him.

After Maroney reported the voice mail to association administrators, CEO Thomas removed Hackman from the returning officer position, appointed Andrais, and informed all candidates of the change via email.

Hackman and Jeffery declined to comment for this story. Twerdoclib said he respects the outcome of the election.

Andrais’ report found none of the three candidates believed the

I think any person who is in a democracy should care about the institutions within ... now more than ever.

voice mail affected the outcome of the election. He also found no evidence Jeffery had breached association election rules.

Andrais also said in his 17 years in the role, Hackman would often discuss campaign complaints with the candidate who was the subject of the complaint. The veteran returning officer was frustrated by the number of complaints coming in during the 2017 campaign, Andrais said.

Hiring an independent returning officer or complaints investigator for elections could be an approach the association considers in the future, Andrais said.

Thomas said he was surprised and concerned Hackman would vent his frustrations about candidate complaints to another candidate. He is personally investigating Hackman’s conduct and will conclude the investigation within a couple of weeks, he said.