A campaign manager for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been fined by Elections Alberta and has had his request to throw out the fine by the courts dismissed. The failed appeal by Alan Hallman took place just days before the government shut down an office investigating election wrongdoings.

Court documents obtained by the Western Standard show Court of Queen’s Bench Justice A.L. Kirker threw out the appeal by Hallman on Nov. 13th.

Hallman – a close friend and advisor to the premier – had appealed a fine of $1,500 handed down by Elections Alberta.

Details in the document were scarce but appears to centre around Hallman handing out election pamphlets that did not meet the required legal criteria.

Kenney’s lawyer, former solicitor general Johnathon Denis argued in court the matter was simply an administrative error.

Neither side of the case asked for costs to be covered.

In a statement issued after the WS broke the story, the UCP said: “The event in question took place during the 2017 Calgary-Lougheed by-election, wherein there was a disagreement between the individual in question and an Elections Alberta official visiting the office. An administrative fine was issued against the individual. No violation was found against the candidate nor the Calgary-Lougheed UCP campaign as an entity.

“The Party considers this matter closed.”

Hallman couldn’t be reached for comment. Denis said he couldn’t speak until talking to Hallman.

The move comes days after the province passed Bill 22, which eliminated the office of the Election Commissioner and rolled it into the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Alberta.

Alberta’s Ethics Commissioner warned UCP MLAs of a potential conflict of interest in voting to fire the investigator looking into their party.

Prior to his firing, Lorne Gibson had handed out more than $210,000 in fines against people involved in Jason Kenney’s campaign to be UCP leader in 2017.

The government has said, if they decide, the electoral officer can continue with Gibson’s investigations that were ongoing.

Kenney said merging the office will save taxpayers more than $1-million over five years.

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard

dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com