EDMONTON – Progressive Conservative leader Jim Prentice is criticizing a directive issued by his government about volunteering for political campaigns.
The memo said staff aren’t restricted from working on political campaigns, but “if you are volunteering, even if it is just on your own time, please let your supervisor know.”
Prentice said it’s “ridiculous and offensive” that government staff have been ordered to inform their supervisor if they want to work on political campaigns in their free time. He said in a Facebook posting that government employees have the right to volunteer on their off time, and he encourages them to do so.
“I can’t tell you how (the directive) happened because clearly I’m campaigning at this point in time,” Prentice told reporters Tuesday at an Edmonton party rally for the May 5 election.
“(But) everyone in this province has the right on their own time to be involved as a volunteer in political service with a party of their choice.
“No employer, including the government of Alberta, has the right to intervene and demand answers. I consider it ridiculous and I won’t stand for it.”
A report by the CBC quoted an Alberta Public Service Commission spokesperson as saying the directive was to protect staff from accusations of inappropriate conduct.
A follow-up memo was distributed to all deputy ministers for distribution to government staff Tuesday afternoon. The new memo, provided by government spokesperson Kim Capstick, “clarified” that staff only need to notify supervisors of volunteer activity after work hours if it falls into the following four categories:
- causes an actual or apparent conflict of interest;
- is performed in such a way as to appear to be an official act, or to represent a Government opinion or policy;
- interferes through telephone calls, or otherwise, with regular duties; or,
- involves the use of government premises, equipment or supplies, unless such use is otherwise authorized.
“If volunteer activities falls outside these categories, such as door knocking or distributing signs for a campaign or political candidate, there is no need for notification.
Brian Jean, leader of the Wildrose party, said the original directive reflects a government mindset that considers public servants to be pawns for partisan political ends.
“After 44 years of the same government, what they think is that the bureaucracy belongs to the PC party of Alberta,” Jean said at a news conference at the legislature.
“It doesn’t. The public service belongs to the public.”
Jean said Prentice has shown similar disrespect to the democratic process by ordering an independent legislature committee in February to reverse a decision on funding for the auditor general.
The Progressive Conservatives have also failed to pass laws and pointed to 66 bills, including the 2012 Education Act, waiting to be proclaimed, he added.
Jean also accused the PCs of subverting their own public disclosure rules by quietly creating a new spending category that details food and beverage costs for employees during business meetings. The category is exempt from public disclosure.
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