Wildrose has called on Alberta’s chief electoral officer to investigate allegations of illegal contributions to the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.
The call for an investigation comes after CBC reported on meeting minutes from the Town of St. Paul indicating St. Paul taxpayers paid $500 to the Progressive Conservative association for Mayor Glenn Andersen and councillors Gary Ward, Don Padlesky and CAO Ron Boisvert to golf in Ray Danyluk’s Cormorant Classic, organized by the Lac La Biche – St. Paul PC Constituency Association, on June 30 in Lac La Biche.
The story was picked up by several television, print and online media outlets in Alberta.
“The current government has created an environment where municipalities feel pressured to break the law in order to curry favors from the provincial government,” said Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith.
“After 40 years in power, this government believes that the rules don’t apply to them, but they do.”
The letter to Elections Alberta states if an isolated incident, it would be easy for the PC party to return the money to the municipality, “But this is not an isolated incident.”
The minutes from several municipalities “indicates that many councillors are similarly unaware that what they are doing is not only inappropriate, it is a violation of the Elections Finances and Disclosures Act,” states the letter. “These elected officials think that it is perfectly legitimate to support the PC party with municipal funds because without this partisan support the municipality will suffer.”
“The slime-barrel politics with the St. Paul official having to organize for the (PC association) with municipal resources insults Albertans,” Liberal leader Raj Sherman said on his online Twitter account.
The Wildrose press release points to a barbecue set and poker set donated by the County of St. Paul as a prize to Danyluk’s golf tournament in 2007 and that County council motioned to sponsor a team of four and one hole at Danyluk’s golf tournament in 2008.
The County did not make a donation or pay for a team, or pay per diems, for County council staff who attended this year, confirmed Reeve Steve Upham. CAO Sheila Kitz and Public Works Leo Superintendent deMoissac took unpaid days off and were sponsored by an engineering firm for the green fees.
“I guess each council interprets the MGA (Municipal Government Act) in different ways,” Upham said on Monday. “The last number of years it has been the County’s position that they wouldn’t support individual political parties’ fundraising efforts.”
The Town of Smoky Lake carried a motion to sponsor a team for a PC association golf fundraiser in 2009. The Town of Toefield passed a motion to attend a Vegreville – Fort Saskatchewan PC association fundraiser golf tournament in June, as did the Town of Hardisty for the PC association in Battle River – Wainwright in 2008, as did the Town of Didsbury in the Olds – Didsbury – Three Hills constituency the same year.
Town of St. Paul Mayor Glenn Andersen instructed administration to clarify the types of events that councillors can go to “and what the criteria is” at the Oct. 11 council meeting.
“I just want to make sure we’re doing it above board,” he said.
When councillors go golfing at fundraising events, they do not receive a per diem but have their entry fee paid for by the municipality, he said.
Padlesky suggested council look into an annual donation fund of $500 for councillors to give as they see fit to community groups, something he learned another municipality does. Andersen replied that council needs to stay out of politics. “I don’t think we’re intending to get caught up in any of the politics, but it can be perceived that way.”
The tournament is a networking opportunity for the Town and council does not get paid, and “give up their time and their day,” he said, on Monday, adding that attendees also lose out on a day’s pay to attend.
Council will have to fix the issue and discuss whether to pay its members a per diem to go, or to not attend in the future, he said, adding “We’re trying to be as transparent as possible.”
Andersen said he does not favour the option of paying a per diem for council members to attend, as it would cost more, but to pay the green fees and lose a day’s wage is “asking a lot” of council members to represent the community at the golf tournament.
“We have limited opportunity to network with other municipalities and there’s other MLAs there that we get to see,” he said.
Over the years of running the Cormorant Classic, the local PC association has received money from other municipalities, said President Don Schultz, adding that he assumed municipalities would be paid back.
“That’s the way it’s been done for years. It’s just handier,” he said. “I am aware we can’t accept payment from municipalities.”
Schultz said the Town of St. Paul probably should reimburse the municipality, “if they want to be to the letter of the law,” but added the municipality decides based on whether it considers it a legitimate expense.
“There is a ton of networking done,” he said, noting that ministers and many people from around the province attend.
Danyluk described his relationship with the local PC constituency association as “hands off” and said if municipal money went to the association, it should be reimbursed to the municipalities.
“If there’s a contribution that is made from a municipality to me, it’s wrong. Those councillors either should or they must reimburse the municipality. If there was a cheque that was cut, it should be reimbursed to that municipality.”
If the individuals on councils do not reimburse the municipality, then the association should turn it back to the municipality, he added.
“I think the (Elections) Act is very clear, that municipalities should not donate to political parties,” he said. “The rules are there.”
He said he was not aware the Town paid $500 to the association to play at the Cormorant Classic and is not involved in the association’s fundraising or finances.
Danyluk said he supported the Town’s plan to draft guidelines on how the Act affects the municipality.
