Redford’s sister expensed public for Tory party events

[Rod1960]

EDMONTON — Alberta Health Services executive Lynn Redford — the premier’s sister — should pay back expenses she claimed to attend political party fundraisers and should face fines if she violated provincial election laws, Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said Monday.

Redford, sister to Progressive Conservative Premier Alison Redford and a government relations adviser for the now-defunct Calgary Health Region, billed the local health authority for tickets to several PC association fundraisers, a PC convention and a Liberal party of Canada breakfast in 2005, Smith told reporters at the legislature.

The Wildrose leader said details of the political donations, uncovered through a freedom of information request, reinforce her party’s calls on Alberta Health Services (AHS) to release the expenses of all health authority executives dating back to 2005 to clear the air in a fundraising scandal that has simmered over the past two years.

“The problem is we have got this cloud over Alberta Health Services and the only way to lift that cloud is to do a full investigation and release all the expenses,” Smith said.

She said the latest revelations link the health region expense controversy involving inappropriate and extravagant expenses claimed by health officials with the scandal involving alleged illegal donations to political parties.

“This actually connects with the broader story we’ve seen of repeated instances of (alleged) illegal activity in giving donations to a partisan political party from taxpayer dollars and we want to know how widespread that problem is.”

Under Alberta election law, public bodies like municipal governments and government agencies, boards and commissions that receive provincial funding cannot donate to political parties.

Alberta’s chief electoral officer has been investigating scores of alleged breaches of the act, but says he has been prohibited by law to release details of his findings.

Legislation is expected to be tabled this week to amend the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act to make it clear the names of individuals and organizations found to be in violation of the act can be released.

Lynn Redford and AHS officials did not respond immediately to Herald requests for an interview. Premier Redford is travelling and is not expected to be in the legislature most of this week.

Alberta Health Services initially pledged in the wake of an expense scandal involving a former executive, Allaudin Merali, to audit the expenses of its executives, but later limited the audit to Merali.

Smith said Redford’s expenses provide cause to reconsider that position, but to save time and money, AHS should post the expenses of its executives on line or even release them to the legislature.

“I think that as we do a full examination of all health executives’ expenses, we’re going to see a combination of some inappropriate expenses and some blatantly illegal expenses ... The point is they all have to be paid back.”

Smith also questioned why provincial bodies, such as health regions and post secondary institutions, would deem it necessary to hire government relations officials to lobby government.

But she said Lynn Redford wasn’t targeted by the Wildrose because she is the sister of the premier.

“The fact her last name is Redford is immaterial to us,” she said. “Whether her last name was Jones or Smith, it would still be problematic to have a senior executive ... going to partisan political activities and booking the expense to taxpayers.”

She noted the chief electoral officer has found 45 violations of the act to date.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/healt...190/story.html

How many more years?

IDVFH

[rwm1273]

The longer she is in power, the more corruption will be found.

[rugatika]

"a Liberal party of Canada breakfast"

Who would have ever guessed??!!! I'm shocked I tell ya.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by rwm1273

The longer she is in power, the more corruption will be found.

Weren't these violations made when Klein was in power?

[great white whaler]

Never trust a politision ,4 years of power is all they want ,i have a hard time trusting a man in a tie and suit ,and trust any woman with a hair due like that ,i dont under stand how she got in to power in the first place.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! Can I say it? Puhleeeeeeeease?

I didn't vote for her.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! Can I say it? Puhleeeeeeeease?

I didn't vote for her.

Did you vote for Klein?

[rwm1273]

Originally Posted by FCLightning

Weren't these violations made when Klein was in power?

Not all. But since there actually is a party working as official opposition, perhaps some of the corruption that was present will be dealt with.

[rwm1273]

Originally Posted by great white whaler

Never trust a politision ,4 years of power is all they want ,i have a hard time trusting a man in a tie and suit ,and trust any woman with a hair due like that ,i dont under stand how she got in to power in the first place.

Ever notice how she looks awful in every photo there is of her? She has a snear on her face 24/7.

[Mutter87]

I didn't vote for her, I voted for the only legitimate conservative party in Alberta!

This broad should loose her job and pension!

[leeaspell]

Originally Posted by rwm1273

Ever notice how she looks awful in every photo there is of her? She has a snear on her face 24/7.

She reminds me of this guy lol

[220swifty]

Originally Posted by rwm1273

Ever notice how she looks awful in every photo there is of her? She has a snear on her face 24/7.

I've noticed that, and I've also noticed that whenever these things come up, she is 'travelling' and unavailable for comment. Does our premier ever stay in the province?

[rwm1273]

Originally Posted by 220swifty

I've noticed that, and I've also noticed that whenever these things come up, she is 'travelling' and unavailable for comment. Does our premier ever stay in the province?

Not when we are paying the bill.

[petey100]

They all suck! Until people start standing up and do some real change it will just be the continual downhill slope Alberta and well North America will continue to go down. Government has jumped way out of line with fat pensions that common folk could only dream of , down to snow removal from their roads when nobody else gets theirs done(witnessed that one). Do I know the answer? Hell no ! If I did I would be the first guy in line .

[greylynx]

Well lookee here, We have the whole darn family with their snouts at the trough. It was said on the Rutherford show yesterday by that liberal Dave Taylor, Lynn's job was one of those "invented" occupations that is often drempt up with no useful function.

Hey Leaspell: If you look close enough at that picture you posted, you can actually see a resemblence.


Oko, old buddy,.....I don't know how your going to explain this one, but I bet it will be good.


I did not vote for her.

[steelhead]

FCLighnting asked......"Did you vote for Klein? "




Everyone here will say they didnt vote for Redford,

But there aint a soul here that will say they voted for Klein either.



He did this to your province and his drunken legacy will linger on for decades. And it wont matter who is in power.


STEELHEAD

[rwm1273]

Originally Posted by steelhead

FCLighnting asked......"Did you vote for Klein? "




Everyone here will say they didnt vote for Redford,

But there aint a soul here that will say they voted for Klein either.



He did this to your province and his drunken legacy will linger on for decades. And it wont matter who is in power.


STEELHEAD

Yes I voted for Klein. At least he said what he was going to do, and did it. He was a man of his word. He spoke what was on his mind, and took the licks when he had to.

I am a conservative. Redford and what the party now is is not conservative, despite what they call themselves.

[Kanonfodder]

I voted for Klein , happily he did what he had to do

[rugatika]

I voted for Klein. BUT...IDVFH.

[steelhead]

There was alot of things he wasnt telling you.



A couple mentioned in this thread.


Many more to come out.


And of the things he did tell you, he didnt tell you they wouldnt last forever.

And thats where we are at now.


Klein knew there would be a sales tax coming, just not in his reign, and he was open about that.

Stelmac knew that, and ran so it wouldnt be him that implements it.

What will redford do? Well, they left her no choice.


Not very smart for a polition to base a budget on oil gambling. The whole country knows you dont base a budget on natural resources. Markets fluctuate.

He privatized albertas solid income. Now we have to pay for, and not collect or save money from that.


No matter who gets in, they are doomed to fail. The government has been left in shambles.


And everyone is saying Redford did this?




STEELHEAD

[Mutter87]

I would have voted for Klein if I was of legal age!!!!!!!

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by steelhead

And everyone is saying Redford did this?




STEELHEAD

YES...If we are talking about the original OP's post.

[Jamie]

She is in real trouble now.....

The calgary herald is now beating on her. Sure the Sun has been none stop, but the herald just released this
http://www.calgaryherald.com/Premier...977/story.html

It makes her look really crappy. Perhaps a resignation is in the works?
Did the Tory's put up another Kim Campbell?

People in Alberta will not put up with a sales tax.
Ralph was the best this province has seen since lougheed.
Anyone who says different does not know what he is talking about.

Jamie

[Redfrog]

At least Allyson wears sensible shoes.

BTW I was the first person who didn't vote for her.

[steelhead]

"Ralph was the best this province has seen since lougheed.
Anyone who says different does not know what he is talking about."




I respectfully disagree.


As his legacy continues, we will all see the folly in his ways. Many are already realizing that.


And yes, Redford is the Kim Campbell for the Alberta Tories.

She will draw all the flak that her 2 predecessors failed to fix.


So far, she to blame for, well, everything the party has done in the past.



How can someone, who has been in power for less than a year, be the blame of all thats wrong in the party?


She didnt start this, she trying to fix it. Something Stelmac couldnt do either. He ran.



And anyone who sees it different, doesnt know what they are talking about!



STEELHEAD

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by greylynx

YES...If we are talking about the original OP's post.

We are talking about the OP, and no, Premier Redford had nothing to do with it, the improper actions were done when Klein was running the show.

If the rift in the PC ranks continues we may uncover enough things about the Klein era to make the Quebec politicians look moral.

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by steelhead

"Ralph was the best this province has seen since lougheed.
Anyone who says different does not know what he is talking about."




I respectfully disagree.


As his legacy continues, we will all see the folly in his ways. Many are already realizing that.


And yes, Redford is the Kim Campbell for the Alberta Tories.

She will draw all the flak that her 2 predecessors failed to fix.


So far, she to blame for, well, everything the party has done in the past.



How can someone, who has been in power for less than a year, be the blame of all thats wrong in the party?


She didnt start this, she trying to fix it. Something Stelmac couldnt do either. He ran.



And anyone who sees it different, doesnt know what they are talking about!



STEELHEAD

Steel.. I am more concerned with the out right lies and mistrusts she has tried to pull in the last 6 months.
Everything from the BS $100/barrel oil
The Olympics ($70,000 cost that blew up to $600,000)
The MPs raise
Now it's even getting deeper with her sister being the go to person to get jumped ahead in the health care line. Did Alison get her the job?
This whole government STINKS.

Those that didn't vote for her, knew it when the election was on. Now they really know it. (And those that did vote for her, should as well) people ran scared on some stupid comments by some people that should have kept their mouths shut. Instead of running scared, they should have looked at the big picture. The big picture was that the PCs are a arrogant bunch of jerks that are trying to flush all the hard work of this province down the toilet.
This can be the best and most prosperous province in Canada.. Yet we are now taking on debt rather than dealing with our spending and budgeting problems.

She and her entitled PC buddy's need to leave right now.
Jamie

.

[Dacotensis]

Originally Posted by Jamie

Steel.. I am more concerned with the out right lies and mistrusts she has tried to pull in the last 6 months.
Everything from the BS $100/barrel oil
The Olympics ($70,000 cost that blew up to $600,000)
Now it's even getting deeper with her sister being the go to person to get jumped ahead in the health care line. Did Alison get her the job?
This whole government STINKS.

Those that didn't vote for her, knew it when the election was on. Know they really know it.
Jamie

Forgetting a few things.
Think man, Think!!!!
How about her (ex) husbands law firm getting some nice work?

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by Dacotensis

Forgetting a few things.
Think man, Think!!!!
How about her (ex) husbands law firm getting some nice work?

Sorry Dac.. The list is extremely long and I am on my iPad.
Just what is the whole list?
I know it's massive considering how long she has been in power.
Heck, oko will not even stick up for her now.

I posted something a while back that was the start of the list, and it has grown since then.

Jamie