Jason Kenney fires a watchdog

Ontario’s Ford government has done some ethically questionable things since being elected, but Ford and friends are rank amateurs compared to the Jason Kenney conservative government in Alberta.

In a bald act of political self-interest Kenney and his United Conservative Party this week fired the election commissioner who was investigating the party for financial irregularities. To date, the now dismissed commissioner, Lorne Gibson, has handed down more than $207,000 in fines against the party, much of that related to the so-called “kamikaze” candidate.

Allegations are that another UCP leadership candidate ran in the party’s leadership race, not in hopes of winning but specifically to attack Kenney’s main opponent, Brian Jean of the now defunct Wildrose Party. At the last minute, Jeff Callaway dropped out of the race to endorse Kenney for leader, and Kenney subsequently won handily.

Those involved deny the allegations, but leaked emails contained speaking notes and even a timeline for Callaway to drop out of the race. The election commissioner was appropriately investigating when he was fired before the investigation was completed. If you don’t think this is a big deal, consider what would have happened had Justin Trudeau fired the federal ethics commissioner before he could complete the SNC-Lavalin investigation.

So far, the political uproar over Kenney’s behaviour is muted. That may change over time. It should.