Jason Kenney rivals allege cheating in leadership review, ask Elections Alberta to investigate
Posted May 10, 2022 12:24 pm.
Last Updated May 12, 2022 11:49 am.
There is another obstacle in Jason Kenney’s leadership review, as Elections Alberta is reportedly investigating allegations regarding a bulk purchase of United Conservative Party memberships.
Kenney’s rivals allege a handful of credit cards paid for thousands of UCP memberships, including some that were purchased without the knowledge of the person whose name is on the membership.
As a result, many have raised the question, is Jason Kenney a cheater?
“Both in 2017 and now in the current leadership review, some of the same tactics are being used: Buying of memberships on behalf of people who don’t know that those memberships are being bought, and of course the accusations of corruption from his own party, the allegations of cheating,” said Lori Williams, political scientist with Mount Royal University.
WATCH: CityNews’ Saif Kaisar reports on Elections Alberta investigating allegations of cheating in the UCP leadership review
“This did happen in the 2017 leadership race, in addition to the kamikaze campaign. Fines have been levied against people who engaged in these kinds of activities in 2017, and now it looks like the same sorts of things are happening again.”
UCP MLA Brian Jean, who has been an outspoken critic of Kenney, has repeatedly said he believes the Premier may cheat in the leadership review.
Jean’s advisor, Vitor Marciano, tells CityNews that the Jean campaign filed a complaint with Elections Alberta at the end of March, and have since discussed that complaint with them.
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“I do not believe that over $46,000 of memberships were purchased individually with cash by over 4,600 individuals in a matter of a few days. I do believe the credible individuals who have gone on the record as saying they were at events where people were told to sign-up and not worry about the money,” Marciano said. “Depending on how these memberships were paid for, one or more individuals may have broken elections financing laws.”
In a statement to CityNews, the United Conservative Party says these claims are completely false and not supported by evidence.
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“If you have proof of a person who has signed-up but not abided by the terms of membership, please submit the evidence as the membership would not be honoured,” UCP spokesman Dave Prisco said. “In order for a vote to be counted in the Leadership Review, each Member must submit a copy of their photo identification and proof of address as well as a signed declaration form stating that they are eligible to vote. If these are not provided, the ballot package is discarded. This is similar to how you vote by mail in a provincial election.”
Williams adds this doesn’t just have to do with Kenney allegedly bending rules or questionable issues around ethics.
“It has to do with whether or not the process that brought him to the leadership in the first place was fair, and now whether the process for reviewing his leadership is fair,” Williams said. “Once the votes are counted, many people are going to wonder whether it’s fair and legitimate.”