Shannon Phillips, MLA for Lethbridge West. (CHAT News file photo).

By Alex McCuaig

UPDATED: Alberta Justice was provided notification of Phillips surveillance investigation

Jul 16, 2020 | 1:04 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta Justice is confirming proper notification was provided in 2018 regarding the investigation of two Lethbridge police officers who were found to be involved in unauthorized surveillance of an NDP cabinet minister.

But the province’s current justice minister is standing by his claim neither he didn’t know about the matter nor did any government official take part in the investigation.

The surveillance of former environment minister Shannon Phillips by Lethbridge police constables Keon Woronuk and Jason Carrier in April 2017 resulted in the two officers temporarily demoted following a police investigation. That investigation found the officers were involved in an effort to surveil and track the minister and people she met with. Their actions were found to be motivated by political and personal differences the officers had with the MLA for Lethbridge-West.

The Police Act, which governs police investigations, states when it comes to serious complaints the chief of police notify both the justice minister and a service’s police commission when it involves, “any matter of a serious or sensitive nature related to the actions of a police officer.”

A statement provided to CHAT News Thursday afternoon from the justice ministry stated, “On June 21, 2018, the Medicine Hat Police Service did send a (Police Act) 46.1 notification to the Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General. We cannot speak to whether the minster at the time was made aware.”

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Former justice minister Kathleen Ganley has stated she wasn’t notified of the investigation.

Ganley was Alberta’s justice minister until April 2019 while Schweitzer assumed the position following the UCP’s provincial election win the same month, 10-months following the original investigation notification by Medicine Hat police.

Schweitzer’s statement went on to add he, “Minister Schweitzer was never briefed on or informed of this matter.”

“Minister Schweitzer was completely outraged when he was told about the unauthorized surveillance and within hours ensured that the appropriate steps were taken to protect the integrity of system and ensure that the Lethbridge community could have confidence that justice is done.”

Phillips has stated she wasn’t provided any information after being notified of an informal resolution of the matter in September 2017.

The two constables were charged on June 24, 2020 with multiple counts of disciplinary misconduct under the Police Service Regulation.

For their part, the NDP say the latest information reinforces its call for an out-of-province special prosecutor to oversee any further investigation into this matter.

The Police Act also states that in investigations such as the one which resulted in sanctions against the two Lethbridge police constables that investigators, “must advise a complainant, if any, in writing at least once every 45 days as to the status of the complaint.”

The only identified complainant in the July 9 penalty decision against the two constables is Phillips. She has stated she had not been informed of any ongoing matter attached to her original complaint for three years.

CORRECTION: Doug Schweitzer was sworn in as justice minister on April 30, 2019. The previous version said it was May 2019.