EDMONTON—The United Conservative government has appointed an MLA who has been under investigation for allegations of bribery and fraud to a committee that oversees Alberta’s hefty savings fund, which is worth billions.

Back in May, Star Edmonton reported that Peter Singh, the UCP MLA for Calgary-East, was under investigation by Alberta’s election commissioner for bribery allegations stemming from four other hopefuls vying to be the party’s candidate in the riding before April’s provincial election. Singh also had his business searched by the RCMP just days before the Alberta election.

On Tuesday, the first day of the legislature’s fall session, the Opposition NDP sounded the alarm when the UCP government moved to appoint Singh to the standing committee of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund. However, government house leader Jason Nixon told the Opposition during question period that they were trying to use “fear-and-smear politics” by bringing it up.

The fund exists as a kind of savings account to take proceeds accumulated through resource revenue in Alberta and use it to financially boost future generations. As of June, the fund’s assets were worth about $18 billion, according to the Alberta government’s website.

“If this is who the UCP have chosen to put in charge of diversifying our economy and funding services that Albertans rely on, we should all be very concerned,” the NDP’s critic for democracy and ethics Heather Sweet said in a news release.

Star Edmonton reached out to Singh’s office seeking his comments for this story, but didn’t receive a response. In the past, Singh has denied any wrongdoing in relation to the allegations and investigations.

In 2018, the four former nomination hopefuls who faced Singh to run in the riding — Jamie Lall, Matthew Dirk, Issa Moussa and Andre Chabot, a former city councillor — sent a letter to party leadership detailing their complaints.

They claimed Singh had offered gifts or money for votes and fraudulently registered people for the UCP by forging their consent and identity. Two sworn affidavits signed by residents of the riding and provided as evidence of improprieties outlined how Singh allegedly gave discounts at his business — an auto repair shop in Calgary — for votes and offered cash to people for support.

At the time, Singh dismissed the complaints as “sour grapes.” The UCP conducted an internal investigation and said it found there wasn’t enough evidence to support the allegations.

However, the allegations eventually reached Dave Jennings, an investigator with the office of the election commissioner who previously served with the Calgary Police Service for 25 years, and he began investigating in May. The office doesn’t comment publicly on investigations, but publishes any fines issued on its website.

After becoming the party’s candidate for the riding, Singh was gearing up for voting day in mid-April when his business was searched by the RCMP.

The Mounties have been carrying out an investigation into allegations of identity fraud during the 2017 United Conservative Party leadership race, but Singh maintained his innocence in a statement posted on Facebook after the incident.

“I stand firm on my innocence. I have fully co-operated with the RCMP,” Singh said.

The Opposition NDP raised the appointment during question period on Tuesday and Sweet asked if the move by the government was prudent.

Instead of answering questions about Singh’s appointment, Nixon turned the conversation around on the Opposition and asked them to name the two NDP MLAs accused of sexual misconduct — a story that broke while they were still in government in 2018. It’s unclear if the two MLAs accused of sexual misconduct are still members, and at the time, the NDP said it handled the situation internally.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

“We will not be bullied by the NDP,” Nixon said.

Star Edmonton reached out to Nixon’s press secretary with a request for further comment, but was referred back to his statements made in the house. An inquiry was also made with the NDP about whether the two MLAs who faced the accusations were still elected members, but a spokesperson said they wouldn’t be commenting “out of respect for those who came forward.”

Read more about: