Kenney cleared in ethics probe

Alberta’s ethics commissioner has rejected Opposition accusations that Premier Jason Kenney and his United Conservative caucus broke the rules when they fired an election official investigating the party.

Marguerite Trussler, in a report issued

Monday, said there is no evidence the United Conservatives directly benefited when the UCP caucus passed a bill late last year to fire Lorne Gibson as election commissioner.

The Opposition NDP had alleged that firing Gibson boosted the UCP’s long-term reputation and re-election prospects given that Gibson was investigating the party and had already levied more than $200,000 in fines tied to the 2017 leadership race won by Kenney.

Trussler said, among other reasons, that the accusation fell short of proving direct benefit and, if taken to its logical conclusion, every decision made by a politician could be seen as a potential conflict of interest.

“It would be practically impossible for (elected legislature) members to carry out their duties and functions without breaching the (Conflicts of Interest) Act,” Trussler wrote in her report.

“Such a conclusion would hamstring the operations of the government and the legislative assembly.”

Trussler did note that one United Conservative member, Calgary backbencher Peter Singh, should have formally recused himself from debate given Gibson was questioning Singh at the time over campaign expenses.

“Singh is the only member who breached the (conflicts) act,” wrote Trussler.

“However, it is significant that he did not vote (on the bill) and that the outcome of the vote did not halt the investigation into his campaign expenses.”

Trussler said Singh should make up for his error by formally apologizing to the legislative assembly.

Gibson’s duties and investigations were returned to the control of chief electoral officer Glen Resler, who said all investigations would continue.

Heather Sweet, the NDP’s critic on democracy and ethics issues, said Trussler’s decision misses the bigger picture.

“We do not agree that the conduct of the UCP being investigated by commissioner Gibson was simply ‘political activity.’ It was corrupt, antidemocratic and well outside the norm,” Sweet said.