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Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel is still awaiting a court decision that will determine whether he can run in the looming provincial election.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Gaylene Kendell ruled to reserve the decision on Feb. 22. The written decision was expected Friday, but has been delayed until next week.

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Elections Alberta listed Mandel as ineligible to run for five years after he missed the deadline to file his campaign expense paperwork.

His lawyer is arguing that the court should grant a deadline extension due to “mitigating reasons.”

Mandel, a former Edmonton mayor and Progressive Conservative health minister, has said the rules were confusing and disagrees with the timeline laid out by Elections Alberta.

He also said his chief financial officer who failed to file the paperwork on time was ill.

Five other Alberta Party candidates who were also slapped with five-year bans had to go to court. Ali Haymour, Diana Ly, Tim Meech, Moe Rahall and Rachel Timmermans had their bans lifted. Alberta Party candidate Amrit Matharu has a court date next week.

Premier Rachel Notley has yet to call a provincial election, but could have dropped the writ as early as Feb. 1 launching a 28-day campaign period. She is expected to call an election for between March 1 and May 31.

cclancy@postmedia.com

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