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And he said letting Resler, rather than politicians, pick the election commissioner strengthens the firewall between politicians and independent legislature officers.

“The NDP histrionics on this issue have been just classic overkill,” said Kenney.

Gibson had been investigating fundraising violations tied to the 2017 UCP leadership race and had so far levied more than $200,000 in fines.

Kenney won the race and earlier this year the United Conservatives won the general election.

The NDP made several last-ditch attempts to stop the bill.

The caucus wrote to Mitchell asking her to intervene on the grounds that the bill was an abuse of privilege by Kenney’s government. Notley said Mitchell responded that she would not intervene.

Notley also wrote to ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler asking that she ban the entire UCP caucus from voting on the bill. Notley argued all United Conservatives were in a conflict of interest because they would benefit from having Gibson’s contract terminated.

Trussler’s response letter, released by the NDP just before the final vote, said she would need more time to investigate, but cautioned that, on the surface, some UCP members could be at risk of a conflict.

Nixon said of Trussler’s letter: “I can’t speak to what each member’s obligations are with the Conflicts of Interest Act, but we are confident that nobody has violated that in the voting process.”

Gibson, in a public letter earlier this week, said his office has received more than 800 complaints of election irregularities. He said he was concerned that his dismissal would undermine faith in the independence and integrity of the election process.

Questions over the bill also led to Notley being kicked out of the chamber. She was ousted Tuesday by Speaker Nathan Cooper when she refused to apologize after accusing Nixon of misleading the house on the bill.

Notley has said Cooper’s office has made it clear to her that she must apologize before she will be allowed back. She said Thursday her plan is to come back next week.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2019.