New Progressive Conservative party leader Jason Kenney wants to bring Brian Jean’s Wildrose party and his party under one banner.
READ MORE: Alberta PC and Wildrose leaders meet to talk ‘Unite the Right’ plan
Drew Westwater, deputy chief electoral officer for Elections Alberta, cannot comment on this specific case, but said Elections Alberta has a mandate to register a new party, deal with an existing party and can cancel any party registration.
Westwater told 630 CHED money within the party can be used for any purpose, but two separate parties would not be able to combine their funds.
“There is no provision within the Elections Finances Act for parties, registered political parties, to transfer money between registered political parties,” Westwater explained. “That provision does not exist.”
READ MORE: Unite the right poll: Albertans prefer Brian Jean to Jason Kenney as leader
The lawyers claim there is no legislation that prohibits a merger, but Westwater said the two can call it a “merger “but it would depend how you define the term.
“The term merger doesn’t exist in the legislation,” Westwater said. “You are either a registered party or you’re not, or you cancel your registration. There is no merger provisions and there is nothing to stop them from crossing the floor and joining another party, there is nothing preventing that.”
WATCH MORE: Alberta PC party leader Jason Kenney on when he will seek seat in Alberta legislature
The lawyers disagree that the two parties can’t merge without one party cancelling their registration.
Calls to the Kenney team went unanswered at the time this was posted.
Watch below: Jason Kenney explains his plan to unite the right in Alberta.
Comments