By Charles Lefebvre

Fundraising letter signed by premier did not violate Conflicts of Interest Act: Ethics Commissioner

May 28, 2019 | 11:16 AM

EDMONTON, AB — The office of the ethics commissioner says Premier Jason Kenney did not violate the Conflicts of Interest act with a recent fundraising letter.

The ruling, released by Ethics Commissioner Marguerite Trussler on Friday, says Kenney did not violate the act by signing a fundraising letter for the United Conservative Party as Premier Jason Kenney.

The complaint was submitted by NDP MLA Heather Sweet (Edmonton-Manning) in a letter dated May 15. Sweet alleged in a letter the UCP was using Kenney’s position as Premier to fundraise. The letter was asking for donations to cover outstanding campaign debt of $340,000 for the UCP.

“Fundraising is a political activity,” Trussler writes. “When a Member of the Legislative Assembly fundraises for the Member’s party, that Member is furthering a political interest as opposed to a private interest. This distinction has been made by me in the past and by my predecessors, other ethics commissioners and courts across Canada.

The letter continues, “Signing a fundraising letter as “Premier Jason Kenney“ is furthering a political activity and, in so signing, Premier Kenney did not contravene the Conflicts of Interest Act.”

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However, in the conclusion, Trussler writes the practice should be avoided, “because it is not appropriate to use a government office (eg. Premier, Minister) to raise funds for a political party, but it is not prohibited by the Conflicts of Interest Act.”

The full ruling can be viewed here.