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Premier-designate Rachel Notley met with the lieutenant-governor Thursday and was invited to form the next government, but until she and her cabinet are sworn in, Premier Jim Prentice and his ministers remain as Alberta’s caretaker regime.

Wildrose leader Brian Jean issued a statement calling on Notley to take steps to prevent the possibility that records are being destroyed improperly.

“Recent media reports raise the possibility of illegal shredding,” Jean said. “It is important to remember that these documents belong to the people of Alberta.”

A spokesman for Notley did not respond to a Herald request for comment.

While the departing ministers are permitted to do as they wish with their personal or constituency records, legislation requires that departmental and cabinet records they generate or receive during their term must be retained and sent to the provincial archives when they leave office.

According to a guide produced by Service Alberta, transitory records that have only immediate or short-term value may be destroyed so long as they are not subject to a request under freedom of information legislation.

But the legislation says those containing information that will have future legal, financial, research or archival value should be retained.

“Determining whether a record is transitory depends on individual judgment,” the guide says.

“If you’re in doubt, keep the record.”

Rick Klumpenhouwer, a records management consultant to both government and industry, said he hopes the province’s interdepartmental committee is making sure the retention and disposition regulations under the Government Organization Act are being scrupulously followed at this critical juncture.

For accountability and historic reasons, Klumpenhouwer said it’s important for Albertans to have a full record of the last months of the Tory’s four-decade dynasty including drafts of legislation, policy briefs and internal correspondence and emails.

“The exception for transitory records can be misused,” he said.

“It may seem broad, but it’s really meant for small, insignificant things like that post-it-note to remind you of your tee time at the golf course.”

mmcclure@calgaryherald.com