EDMONTON, AB (October 18, 2011): Premier Alison Redford must take three immediate steps to rectify allegedly illegal contributions her Progressive Conservative party accepted from Alberta municipalities, school boards and other groups prohibited from making political donations under elections law, the Wildrose Caucus said today.

Alberta election law prohibits municipalities from reimbursing individual political contributions over and above $25 made by their representatives. However, it was recently revealed some municipalities have reimbursed as much as $500 to officials who have attended PC fundraisers.

Redford must:

•       Assure Albertans that PC ministers, MLAs, candidates and constituency associations will stop soliciting donations from and sending invites to organizations who are legally prohibited from contributing to political parties (i.e. – municipalities, school boards, post-secondary institutions, etc.).

•       Direct PC headquarters and constituency associations to refund all donations received from municipalities – including flow through donations from municipal staff – over and above the $25 allowable amount.

•       Confirm that nobody attended her first Leader’s Dinner in Red Deer last week via illegal contributions from municipalities and other organizations prohibited from making political donations.

“Ms. Redford must demonstrate that her government and her party will abide by the rules that are in place,” Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith said. “Taking these three steps would be a clear gesture towards showing that her promises of change weren’t just empty campaign rhetoric.”

Wildrose Municipal Affairs Critic Paul Hinman said it’s time for Redford to end the government shakedown of municipalities and other groups.

“As a municipality that relies on funding from the government, if you get an invite from a minister to his or her fundraiser, the implications of going or not going are quite obvious,” Hinman said.  “These individuals need to stop putting municipalities in the impossible position of having to donate to their party if they want to make progress on their own priorities. This is what happens after 40 years of having the same party in power – they think the rules don’t apply to them.”

Last week, the Wildrose revealed several examples of municipalities accepting fundraiser invites from PC MLAs. Municipalities either reimbursed staff or elected officials for the ticket price or made in-kind donations to the PC party. Cursory searches of the minutes of municipalities, school boards, and post-secondary institutions shows that they routinely get invitations to attend PC fundraising events.

The Wildrose Caucus stands for free enterprise, less government, increased personal freedom and democracy.

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For further information or to arrange an interview, media are invited to contact:

Brock Harrison

Director of Communications, Wildrose Caucus

Ph: 780-399-2890