Alberta’s chief electoral officer warns UCP proposed bill will hurt investigations

Alberta’s chief electoral officer is warning the government that proposed legislation will impair the election commissioner’s power to investigate election rule breaking.

A controversial bill introduced last month, if passed, will make sweeping changes to voting and referendums in the province, and is making its way through debate in the legislature.

In documents sent to Justice Minister Mickey Amery and all legislature members, chief electoral officer Gordon McClure warns that some changes in the bill will reduce the election commissioner’s ability to investigate and enforce compliance with election law, including financial contribution rules.

View image in full screen

A summary of concerns attached to the email says that under one of the bill’s proposed changes, none of the significant investigations undertaken by the election commissioner in the last five years would have happened and some current investigations would need to be abandoned.

Amery says all of the bill’s proposals are meant to protect democracy, deliver fair and open elections, and restore confidence in every vote cast by Albertans, but he did not directly address McClure’s concerns.

Opposition NDP justice critic Irfan Sabir says McClure’s letter makes it clear the United Conservatives are undermining investigations into election law, which would let those who break the rules off the hook.