EDMONTON – Last Thursday, Global News revealed Alberta’s Wildrose party had been fined $90,000 by the CRTC for so-called “robocalls”. The PCs said then that they wanted the Wildrose to call for the Chief Electoral Officer to investigate. They’re now ready to take matters into their own hands.
“We’ve held out hope,” says PC Caucus government Liason Doug Griffiths. “I think it’s been five days now, waiting for Danielle Smith to ask for an investigation herself over the illegal activities and the impact it had on the election, and unfortunately she’s been nowhere and made no comment.”
“If she still fails to do the right thing,” he adds “then tomorrow (Tuesday) we’ll ask the Chief Electoral Officer to investigate.”
Griffiths would like the investigation to shed light on what exactly happened, the impact it had on close ridings, and who signed off on it.
“People have the right to know who ordered it,” he says.
Last Wednesday the Wildrose party paid its $90,000 fine, which is the largest ever to be levied for robocalls against a political party by the CRTC.
“It’s a highly regrettable situation for the party, but we felt the appropriate thing to do was cooperate because we didn’t realize we were in violation of the regulations. We complied,” explained David Yager, President of the Wildrose Party Executive Committee, last week.
Under CRTC rules, automated polling calls – or robocalls – must identify who is calling, what group they’re calling on behalf of, and provide a phone number and address.
The Wildrose has said it’s working with the CRTC to develop protocols for complying with the rules moving forward. The party had no comment on Griffith’s latest statement.
With files from Vassy Kapelos, Global News
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