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Alberta’s governing New Democrats say they are going ahead with a private meet-the-premier event that was advertised discreetly to select people as part of an Edmonton fundraiser.

The decision follows a day of confusion over whether Rachel Notley’s one-hour availability ahead of the fundraiser Tuesday was on or off.

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The fundraiser itself is being held at the Art Gallery of Alberta for $250 a ticket.

Party boss Chris O’Halloran confirmed that select people were phoned or emailed with an offer to meet Notley and her MLAs in a separate room ahead of time.

He said this afternoon that the private portion of the event was recently cancelled, but an hour later Notley’s office advised it was going ahead and was never called off.

Opposition Wildrose members say the whole thing smacks of selling access, but O’Halloran notes the event had already been cleared by the ethics commissioner.