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Alberta Chief Electoral Officer Lorne Gibson in front of the Legislature in this Postmedia file photo.John Lucas / Postmedia

The United Conservative Party governments move to terminate the provinces election commissioner and move the role under the chief electoral officer raises questions about independence and risks undermining Albertans faith in democracy, the outgoing commissioner said.

Election commissioner Lorne Gibson found out through news reports Monday a government bill would end his contract four years early, he said in a Tuesday statement.

The government move, done in the name of administrative efficiency, could potentially jeopardize any ongoing investigations into elections violations, including the UCPs 2017 leadership race. People and organizations involved in that race have already faced a combined $211,000 in fines and penalties after the commissioner said they funnelled money improperly to candidates, colluded to organize forbidden campaign donations and obstructed an investigation.

Earlier this year, evidence surfaced suggesting leadership contender Jeff Callaway was a kamikaze candidate in the new partys leadership contest, there to attack former Wildrose leader Brian Jean, and that Callaways campaign staff co-operated with now-Premier Jason Kenneys staff.

In a Tuesday statement, Gibson said he was surprised and disappointed to learn that if the governments Bill 22 passes and receives royal assent, hell be out of a job.

This disappointment stems from my firm belief that the citizens of Alberta must have confidence and trust in the integrity of all aspects of the provincial electoral process, not just the casting and counting of ballots on election day, Gibson said. This includes trust and confidence that the election laws established by the legislative assembly are being followed and that there are consequences for those who choose not to follow them.

November 19, 2019 Media Release Aberta Election Commissioner by edmontonjournal on Scribd

The election commissioner position was created in 2018 by the former NDP government after it introduced new rules banning corporate and union donations and capping political contributions. The province needed an office separate from the chief electoral officer to enforce the new rules and investigate potential wrongdoing, they said.

Introduced on Monday, the omnibus Bill 22 would move the commissioners role under the chief electoral officer. That officer, or a newly hired commissioner, would decide whether to continue any ongoing investigations into election rule breaking.

The Opposition NDP has alleged the move smacks of corruption and could interfere with ongoing investigations into potential wrongdoing by members of government.

Government house leader Jason Nixon said Tuesday a new commissioners work would be even more independent from government, because they would report to the chief electoral officer, not the legislature.

Any investigations that the chief electoral officer and the election commissioner deem that need to continue forward will continue, and thats the process were going forward with, he told reporters.

Senior investigations manager Steve Kaye, who works in Gibsons office, said Tuesday he could not say whether the commissioner has any ongoing investigations into the UCP leadership race, or any other investigations, for that matter.

He wouldnt speculate on how the structural change might affect ongoing court appeals of the commissioners findings by Callaway and others.

Gibsons letter said he has received 800 complaints since it opened last year.

NDP Opposition leader Rachel Notley said Tuesday she would try everything she could think of to halt Bill 22. She penned a letter to Albertas Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell Tuesday asking her not to grant the bill royal assent, saying Notley has grave concerns that Bill 22 is a misuse of the authority of the legislature.

Nixon said Notleys allegations of collusion and investigation interference are utterly ridiculous and fake outrage.

In Tuesday question period, Notley asked the premier (who was in Texas) to withdraw the bill, saying it attempts to cover up the truth and potentially obstruct justice.

When Nixon disputed Gibson was being fired from the commissioner role, Notley said he was misleading the house.

Speaker Nathan Cooper interjected to say house rules do not permit members to accuse one another of lying or misleading. When Cooper told her to apologize and withdraw the statement, Notley refused, which prompted Cooper to dismiss her from the chamber for the rest of Tuesday.

After, Notley told reporters it was her first time being ejected from the house since elected in 2008.

We will not stand by while people are fired for doing their job trying to hold this government to account, she said.

According to the legislature library, the last time a member was ejected from the house was April 18, 2016, when then-Progressive Conservative party leader Ric McIver refused to sit down when he didnt like a ruling by the speaker. Speaker Bob Wanner dispatched the Sargeant-at-Arms to escort him from the chamber.

jfrench@postmedia.com

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Election commissioner worries his firing will erode public trust in democracy - Edmonton Journal