Hours after Danielle Smith, leader of the Official Opposition, alleged a health executive expensed thousands of dollars for partisan events – a receipt for a similar charge was uncovered in her records.
On Monday morning, Smith addressed the media, calling for an in-depth investigation after documents obtained under a freedom of information request showed Lynn Redford a relations advisor for the former Calgary Health Region, and Premier Alison Redford’s sister, expensed more than $7,600 between 2005 and 2008.
According to the documents, Lynn Redford spent nearly half of the money she expensed on partisan events and activities.
Under provincial law, it’s illegal for publicly-funded organizations to make political donations.
“New evidence that points to a shocking lack of judgment as to what is appropriate expense and what is not,” Opposition leader Danielle Smith said. “This evidence shows repeated incidents of health care resources being used to support party events, and partisan activities.”
When asked if it was appropriate for elected officials to use tax dollars to buy tickets to fundraisers for other elected officials, Smith said it wasn’t – and that she had never done it.
However, CTV News found an expense claim – signed by Smith – showed she had attempted to expense $100 that had been spent on two tickets for her and her husband to attend a fundraiser for the Federal Conservative Party.
“[That] would have been a mistake,” Smith said. “I mean, we are new MLAs trying to figure out where the rules and lines are, and we are learning the rules as we go.”
Wildrose staff told CTV News the receipt was a clerical error – and it was caught before it was submitted.
As for the allegations by the Wildrose from earlier in the day, Premier Redford spoke to CTV’s Power Play Monday, and said “[They are] allegations that will probably get clarified, I have an awful lot of confidence in my sister as you can imagine.”
With files from Kevin Armstrong
