Out of Alberta prosecutor sought to advise on UCP leadership investigation

FILE: Premier Jason Kenney and Cabinet are sworn in at Government House, in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. (Photo by Chris Schwarz/Alberta Government via Premier of Alberta/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

EDMONTON — Alberta is seeking a special outside prosecutor to assist Mounties investigating whether fraud was committed in the United Conservative Party leadership race won by Jason Kenney.

“Based on recent information, the (Alberta Crown Prosecution Service) will seek an out-of-province prosecutor to provide advice to police on any matters arising during the investigation,” Sarah Langley, acting head of the service, said in a statement Thursday.

Langley did not provide details about what new information prompted the decision.

The service “has closely monitored this matter to ensure the file is appropriately managed,” she said.

“As independent prosecutors, our role includes continually reassessing matters based on the latest information we have available.

“Going forward, an independent extra-provincial prosecutor will be responsible for providing advice to the police at their request.

Prosecutors do not oversee investigations.”

Alberta’s Opposition New Democrats has been calling for a special prosecutor since Kenney took over as premier on April 30 and named Doug Schweitzer as justice minister and attorney general.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley said a clean line is needed to avoid a conflict of interest — and the perception of a conflict — given that Kenney and Schweitzer were both candidates in the leadership race and that Alberta’s prosecutors now work for them.

Schweitzer was questioned by police about the investigation last weekend, but didn’t disclose it publicly until the CBC reported it on Monday.

Schweitzer and Kenney have said a special prosecutor is not needed because they respect the independence of the prosecution branch.

Schweitzer has refused to say what he talked about with police, except to say they told him he is not a suspect.

On Thursday, Schweitzer said: “It’s important to know that this decision (for a special prosecutor) was made independent of me or any other elected official.

“The process worked exactly as it was supposed to, free from any influence.”

“Obviously this is a decision that we called for and we’re glad that the government has finally listened to us,” Notley said.

Kenney told the house last week that police have not questioned him.

The case also involves UCP backbencher Peter Singh. He won the Calgary-East seat in the April election, just days after police raided his auto-repair shop and confiscated a computer hard drive in what Singh’s lawyer has said was part of the UCP leadership fraud investigation.

Singh has said he is innocent, and he has never been charged.

Kenney has resisted Opposition calls to move him out of the UCP caucus until the matter is resolved.

The NDP renewed those calls Thursday after Star Edmonton reported that Alberta’s elections commissioner is investigating Singh over allegations that bribery was used to gain his UCP nomination.

The elections commissioner is also investigating the UCP leadership race and has levelled fines over illegal funding for Calgary businessman Jeff Callaway, who was also a candidate in the leadership race.

Kenney has faced — and rejected — allegations that Callaway was a puppet who ran on Kenney’s behalf solely to attack opponent and former Wildrose party leader Brian Jean while Kenney stayed above the fray.