Deceit in Alberta. Redford drops Steve Young from cabinet.

Edmonton Riverview MLA Steve Young was dropped from a cabinet spot by Alison Redford last week because of an incident which had occurred years ago while he was a constable with the Edmonton Police Service.

The parallels between the actions of Alison Redford and Steve Young are amazingly similar but one is much worse off than other is today. One is seeing the underside of the PC bus after they lost their job which was  publicly promised to them just a week ago while the other is driving that bus with no consequences (yet); even though both parties have done pretty much the same thing.



Young was accused of deceit under the Police Act for lying to his supervisors about his role in an incident when he denied that he had used a taser on a suspect.

Redford as Minister of Justice makes the decision on which legal firm to retain for Alberta's planned tobacco lawsuit but denied that she had made the decision.



When confronted with evidence ( Young's own incident report) He initially obfuscates ( 'This is crazy, that's brutal, that's absolutely brutal. Like talk about full disclosure. This is, this is ... unbelievable in my mind. That is dirty hands, I just can't believe that.') but to his credit, acknowledges the evidence and accepts that he did use the taser.

When confronted with evidence (memo) Redford for the better part of a year continues to deny her direct involvement (  'That doesn't change the fact that I did not personally make that decision.') but eventually reality takes hold and she not only acknowledges making the decision but has the arrogance to boast about doing so. ("It outlines that I did everything that a Minister would be expected to do in serving the public interest, and did so in a forthright, objective and unbiased manner.")



Young is subsequently cleared.

Redford is subsequently cleared.*



*Yes and no. Young was cleared of 'deceit', Redford was not.

While Redford was cleared of any violations of the conflict of interest act (which is the right the call as ex-spouses are not listed in the Act & it would be impossible to find anyone guilty of something which was not against the rules!) she has not been 'cleared' of other issues related to her actions on this file. In fact the Ethics Commissioners report makes a very good prima facie case that Alison Redford misled the Alberta Legislature, and the people of Alberta.

To put it simply; what the Premier said was not true. She did make the decision. This is now established fact.

Here is part of the Ethics Commissioners ruling on Redford's role: "I find it is entirely appropriate that a Minister, charged with the authority and responsibility for a final decision on a matter, exercise that authority to render a decision."  


It doesn't get any clearer than that.



 

To be continued...