City councillor denies anonymous allegations levelled against her
Premier helped amplify unfounded conflict of interest claims, Tang says
Edmonton city councillors say Alberta's premier unfairly cast doubt on and undermined local elected officials last month by publicly discussing unproven allegations in an anonymous letter she hadn't seen.
Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang said she is the subject of an anonymous letter alleging a conflict of interest signed “a concerned citizen” sent to Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver's office last month, and recently forwarded to Edmonton's integrity commissioner for review.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters on March 27 that she had concerns about the workings of the City of Edmonton suggesting the province could intervene to help at the city's request, pointing to Edmonton's finances and the exodus of top bureaucrats. Smith mentioned some of her concerns stem from an anonymous letter she heard would soon arrive at McIver's office.
Tang told Postmedia she had the same questions as anyone else when she heard about the letter and was surprised to find out last week it was about her. Any allegation of a conflict is false, she said.
“I don't understand the connection between what is being laid out (in the letter) and the accusations the premier has made about the City of Edmonton, about city council,” she said in an interview Thursday.
“It puts a great risk and uncertainty onto council, onto the City of Edmonton. It shakes peoples' confidence in us, and it's based on something that is not true.”
Tang said the provincial government has a bias against cities: “It's very open, it's very public, and now I'm a casualty in that, and not only that, it's me and my family, and I think that's pretty awful.”
Postmedia has not seen the letter. However, this newspaper learned Tuesday that Tang and an alleged conflict with a family member's business were the subject of the letter. Global News published a portion of it with redactions on Wednesday.
Tang told Postmedia the letter describes how her husband is the co-founder of a local non-profit. His non-profit received a sponsorship from a different Edmonton technology organization.
That organization later obtained a land lease from the city in the Edmonton Research Park. A council committee on March 23, 2022, discussed the future of the Edmonton Research Park and Tang asked questions about the development.
Tang said those details are true, but that is where her agreement ends. The letter, as published by Global News, alleges Tang had a pecuniary interest in the land deal putting her into a conflict of interest.
“There is no pecuniary interest,” Tang said. The councillor said she received advice from the city's ethics adviser on multiple occasions, and confirmed there isn't a conflict there.
Tang said she's been open and vocal about her support for the Edmonton Research Park. She included support for the park as one of her platform points in 2021.
However, she invites anyone with concerns about her conduct to use official channels and file a code of conduct complaint with the city's integrity commissioner.
PREMIER CONCERNED ABOUT EDMONTON
The premier faced questions about her concerns with Edmonton's local government on March 27. Smith said the government didn't have plans to intervene but is available to assist if requested.
Smith was asked if she had heard reports about contracts being awarded to council members' associates or partners.
“I have heard that a letter is coming into the minister of municipal affairs. I have not seen that letter, but I would maybe direct you to the minister,” she responded.
A journalist said Smith's chief of staff, the day previous, told reporters he heard about “fraud and bullying” within the City of Edmonton, and asked if the province had taken action.
“I don't want to prejudge what may or may not be in a letter that we have been told that we will receive,” Smith responded, saying she wants to see the letter and speak to McIver about it.
“I would just say I don't want to mischaracterize it because I don't know the full details, so I would just rather wait and see what the letter says.”
APOLOGY NEEDED: KNACK
Ward Nakota Isga Coun. Knack said the premier should apologize to Tang and council for talking about anonymous, unverified claims publicly.
“The premier should absolutely be apologizing. There was no value in that other than creating mistrust,” he said. “She used this to cast aspersions against all of Edmonton city council, and to make suggestions that were untrue.”
“We are in a world now where women of colour are targeted at a much higher rate than people who look like me. So when people are reckless with their words it causes real harm to these individuals.”
Asked to respond to councillors' concerns about her remarks last month, and the request for an apology, the premier's press secretary, Sam Blackett, sent the following statement: “The premier and the minister spoke to the letter in response to questions from the media,” he wrote. “The province has since forwarded the letter to the City of Edmonton's integrity commissioner and Mayor Sohi's office given this matter falls under the purview of the city.”