EDMONTON—Alberta’s election commissioner is probing allegations that Jason Kenney and his campaign team may have solicited contributions in kind which amounted to more than $20,000 — accusations which, if true, could violate election laws in the province.

In a July 30 email, obtained by Star Edmonton, Dave Jennings, an investigator with the commissioner’s office, told Tariq Chaudhry that he wanted to speak with him regarding his complaint that “(Kenney) had you buy UCP memberships and put on events that were not properly paid back or claimed/expensed.”

“I’ve recently been assigned a file relating to your complaint to our office regarding Jason Kenney’s campaign(s) in 2017 and 2018,” Jennings said.

The office doesn’t comment publicly on specific investigations but is an independent body tasked with enforcing election laws in Alberta.

The allegations have not been proven in court but the allegations could amount to a violation of elections laws in Alberta, which state that donations in kind that directly benefit a leadership contestant must be reported as an expense or contribution.

In December, when Chaudhry’s allegations first surfaced, the UCP told Postmedia that they “strongly reject the allegations.”

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“Mr. Chaudhry’s affidavit contains a multitude of inaccuracies and falsehoods,” according to a December statement from then executive director Janice Harrington.

Chaudhry’s statutory declaration, obtained by Star Edmonton in December, alleged that while Kenney was campaigning to be the leader of the newly formed UCP in 2017, he had approached Chaudhry to rally support in Edmonton.

In a private meeting sometime around the summer of 2017, it’s alleged that Kenney told Chaudhry to pay out of pocket for UCP memberships. Chaudhry said that at the meeting he explained to Kenney that many in the Pakistani community wouldn’t want to pay the $10 fee for a membership.

“I was not happy to hear this but on reflection concluded it was a small price to pay for the support and endorsement of the leader of the party I wanted to run for,” Chaudhry’s declaration stated.

“Still thinking about having to pay for these memberships myself, I subsequently inquired of the Kenney campaign whether such costs would constitute a donation and was told they would not.”

Chaudhry said Kenney had floated the idea that he could possibly run as a candidate in the election as well. That would never materialize though, Chaudhry said.

In an interview with Star Edmonton in December, Chaudhry said he and his friends signed up about 1,200 party members and used about $6,000 of his own cash to do so, which covered half the bunch.

“He found another sponsor for the (other) 600,” said Chaudhry. “I don’t know who did.”

However, the party denied these allegations as well, telling Postmedia in December that individuals have to pay for memberships.

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“Mr. Kenney would not and did not suggest otherwise,” Harrington said at the time. “It was perfectly acceptable for a person to collect membership forms and individually paid fees, bundle them together, and submit to the party.”

Under Alberta’s Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act, someone purchasing bulk memberships for a party could be considered a donation in kind, said Steve Kaye, an investigator with the office of the election commissioner.

“It would be based on whether that purchase was a contribution to the candidate,” Kaye said.

“There’s various sections (of the act) that outline what has to be reported by a candidate as far as their expenses and anyone who contributes to their campaign.”

Christine Myatt, Kenney’s press secretary, said in an emailed statement responding to questions about the probe that “this issue has been aired previously.”

“No, the Commissioner’s office has not been in contact with us regarding Mr. Chaudhry’s letter.”

Chaudhry also alleges that he threw a number of events for the Kenney campaign “so Mr. Kenney could be seen speaking to the Edmonton Muslim community,” including two at Aria Banquet Hall in Edmonton, which was then operated by a tenant of his wife’s corporation. Two invoices from the banquet hall, obtained by Star Edmonton, for separate events amount to just over $20,000 and Chaudhry alleges he was never reimbursed.

“The Kenney campaign neither told me where the bill for this event should be sent nor did the Kenney campaign make any attempt whatsoever to pay,” his declaration said.

Further attempts to speak with the campaign and Kenney were ignored, Chaudhry said.

Speaking generally, putting up expenses for a campaign event could also be considered a donation in kind, Kaye explained, but the specific circumstances around the situation would need to be looked at.

Chaudhry sent a letter to the election commissioner in December detailing the allegations he wrote in his declaration.

“Now, my wife and I are out $6,000 for the memberships and $21,076 for the food and hall rent,” Chaudhry told the commissioner’s office. “I can’t afford to make donations like this.”

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