Alberta Opposition won’t release report on vote dust-up, cites privacy

EDMONTON — Alberta's United Conservatives say they will not release an internal report on voting irregularities that led to the resignation of one of their legislature members.

The caucus also announced Tuesday it will reimburse the treasury more than $7,000 after Prab Gill charged taxpayers for what turned out to be a party event in February.

Gill resigned from the United Conservative caucus on the weekend following an investigation into allegations of ballot-box stuffing and other voting irregularities at a constituency meeting in Calgary North East, where Gill had been trying to win the party's nomination.

Jeff Henwood, speaking for the party, said in a statement Monday that United Conservatives won't release the report to protect the privacy of those interviewed by former Court of Queen's Bench judge Ted Carruthers in his investigation.

"In completing his investigation ... Carruthers conducted interviews with non-public figures," said Henwood. "To protect the privacy of those who provided testimony on this issue, the United Conservative Party will not release the final report.

”With the events of the weekend, we now consider the matter closed.”

The NDP caucus said the full report should be released because it's in the public interest.

Gill, currently the member for Calgary Greenway, declined comment.

In a statement issued after his resignation on Saturday, he said he didn't agree with everything in the report but said he accepted its findings.

He said he will finish out the current legislature term as an Independent and won't be seeking to run for the United Conservatives in next spring's election.

Gill won a byelection in March 2016 as a Progressive Conservative. The byelection was called after PC member Manmeet Bhullar was killed in a road accident.

Gill joined the United Conservatives when the PC and Wildrose parties merged in 2017.

Also Monday, the NDP caucus demanded Gill and Kenney reimburse taxpayers for a February banquet in Calgary.

At the dinner, Kenney delivered a speech urging people to run for his party in the next election and later on social media called the event a "wonderful evening with UCP supporters."

Legislature rules make it clear that public money can't be used for partisan political activities.

The NDP issued the allegation late Monday morning in an email statement. The United Conservatives responded just over an hour later.

“This is clearly an error. We will work to ensure that the taxpayer is reimbursed for the full amount," said the response.

Neither the UCP nor the NDP made anyone available for comment on either issue.

There have been a few friction points in United Conservative nomination races lately.

On the weekend, the party rejected a candidate from its Brooks-Medicine Hat race for public comments attacking the Muslim faith.

Last month, current member Leela Aheer was nominated in Chestermere-Rocky View after a disputed contest that included allegations of favouritism and abuse of membership lists.

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press