Calgary pastor alleges UCP bribed him, Smith lied about nature of call

Controversial Calgary Pastor Artur Pawlowski alleges he was bribed by the United Conservative Party (UCP) to keep his “mouth shut” and that Smith lied about the nature of a phone call he had with her in January.

Pawlowski says Smith knew the call was about his criminal trial relating to a protest at the Coutts border.

The 11-minute phone call, which prompted an investigation by Alberta’s ethics commissioner, focuses on charges Pawlowski was facing and his subsequent trial. There was no discussion of him in his role as then-leader of the fringe Alberta Independence Party.

“(The call) was always about the charges, from the very beginning. I had nothing really else to say,” he told reporters in a news conference Wednesday on the east steps of the Alberta Legislature.

“This phone call was always about the same thing: when are you going to introduce what you promised, the amnesty bill for people like me and thousands of other Albertans.”

That stands in contrast to the premier’s account when she said it was simply two political party leaders chatting.

Pawlowski was convicted of mischief by a judge earlier this month in relation to his role in the Coutts border blockade.

He was also found guilty of breaching a release order.

At the Lethbridge trial, Crown prosecutors said Pawlowski’s impassioned speech to the truckers in Coutts fanned the flames of unrest and convinced them to stay at the border crossing for another two weeks in early 2022.

After he was found guilty, Pawlowski vowed he would share his side of the story.

Smith has faced controversy surrounding her relationship with the case after a phone call between her and Pawlowski was made public.

Pawlowski, who has his own party called the Solidarity Movement of Alberta, made the allegations as part of a wide-ranging speech criticizing Smith, the UCP, the NDP, Rachel Notley, the mainstream media, the LGBTQ community, and drag shows.

NEW:

Pawlowski accusing bribery.

Says he was approached by Smith team, was told if he gave up politics, he would be hired to oversee COVID panel that eventually went to Preston Manning.

Turned it down upon learning panel had no teeth

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) May 24, 2023

In addition, he says he was told that if he gave up politics, he would be hired to oversee the COVID-19 panel, which is now led by Preston Manning. He says he turned down the offer.

He also alleges he was offered amnesty to keep his “mouth shut about UCP tyranny” a few months later, and a “safe UCP riding” and $2 million from an unaffiliated third party.

The pastor also claims other high-profile people charged with COVID/Coutts crimes were made offers by Smith’s reps.

Pawlowski says he had more meetings with Smith’s representatives and was promised nothing would happen to him, but then the video was released, which he adds wasn’t leaked by him, despite the video appearing on his YouTube page.

It was later shared by the NDP.

In a statement to CityNews, the UCP says, “The Premier is not aware of any of the conversations or alleged offers referenced by Mr. Pawlowski in his comments today and strongly questions the credibility of his claims.”

When asked about the UCP response, Pawlowski asks who are you going to believe, him or a person who’s changed their story four times.

“Why did she flip-flop four times in the same breath with the same story? Because when you lie, you can’t keep your facts straight,” he said.

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Pawlowski says he didn’t know the call was going to be made public until the day it did, adding he recorded the call for his own protection against “liars.”

Meanwhile, he maintains he only had one conversation with Smith while she was premier and spent the rest of the time speaking to representatives of hers.

He alleges there are 10 witnesses to his account of events and that they will speak if Smith denies his claims.

Pawlowski failed to share any names, dates of calls, and meetings because he says it could wind up in court and would produce eyewitnesses in court.

When pressed for proof on the unsubstantiated claims, he leaned on a tactic used by Smith herself.

“Right now, as we speak, I talked to a lawyer yesterday,” Pawlowski said.

“There is an investigation going. That’s the only thing I can tell you, because I don’t want to jeopardize the case. You know?”

In addition, he is challenging Smith to a public debate.

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• Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski guilty in Coutts border protest

The conference comes after a leaked video shows Smith saying that she had spoken to prosecutors “almost weekly” about the COVID-19 charges the pastor was facing.

The leader said publicly that the conversation shouldn’t come as a “shock,” saying she spent lots of time before and after her leadership “talking to hundreds of Albertans about COVID-related public-health orders.”

Smith’s involvement has been a significant issue on the campaign trail, as Alberta Election Day is just five days away.

On the day of the only leaders’ debate, the Alberta ethics commissioner found that the UCP leader violated the Conflict of Interest Act in her interaction with the province’s justice minister in relation to the charges against Pawlowski.

Margaret Trussler’s report, however, found no evidence Smith or members of her staff contacted Crown prosecutors, as alleged by the CBC.

The report also shows that Smith says she spoke with Pawlowski under the impression that it would not be about his charges.

In a campaign event in Calgary, Smith shut down questions about Pawlowski prior to his conference at the legislature steps.

“He has been found guilty and I have nothing further to say on that,” Smith said.

Meanwhile, NDP Leader Rachel Notley says she is concerned with extremism being shouted from the steps of the Legislature and “hate and transphobia and a furthering of division that only serves to harm Alberta.”

“This is the fringe of the fringe, and these are the folks Danielle Smith has been giving her time to. This is who she interfered in the justice system for. She broke the law in order to get Artur Pawlowski’s charges dropped — a man convicted of inciting violence against police,” she said in Calgary.

“Danielle Smith has given him a platform, and this is only the beginning. If Danielle Smith is elected Premier — this is what the next four years looks like.”

She says, “enough is enough,” and that government should focus on matters of importance like healthcare.

Mount Royal University political scientist Lori Williams tells CityNews Pawlowski’s unfounded claims may appeal to more conspiratorial voters but adds it won’t be a major needle mover.

“I think her judgment in having the phone call and the discussion with him in the first place probably hurts her more than helps her,” she said.

However, the needle may not need to move that much in a race that’s shaping up to be the closest election in Alberta’s history.

“They may appeal to those on the far right that have been associated with conspiracy theories and so forth, and frankly, kind of bizarre notions about government. You’re not sure they can win a vote,” Williams said.

“They could split the vote, potentially, and offer an opportunity for another party to win a seat by association with him.”

-With files from The Canadian Press