Alberta ‘kamikaze’ marketing campaign investigation violated constitution rights, lawyer argues in enchantment

The previous government assistant on Jeff Calaway’s so-called “kamikaze” marketing campaign within the 2017 UCP management race has appealed his $10,500 effective.

Jeffrey Park is arguing his constitution rights have been violated as a result of he was not informed he was a goal of the Alberta Election Commissioner’s investigation.

Park was issued a effective in 2019 for contributing cash that was “given or furnished by one other individual,” and for offering funds to his spouse who additionally donated to the marketing campaign.

The race for the management of the then-new United Conservative Occasion was ultimately gained by Jason Kenney, who stepped down earlier this month as premier and get together chief.

On Wednesday, Courtroom of King’s Bench Justice Michael Marion heard arguments from Park’s lawyer and counsel for the elections commissioner. Marion has reserved his choice.

In 2019, Park was interviewed by an investigator and handed over monetary disclosure after correspondence referenced obstruction fees for failing to co-operate.

He was then fined for breaching the Election Funds and Contributions Disclosure Act (EFCDA). 

Park’s lawyer, Michael Swanberg, argued individuals like his consumer ought to be notified they’re below investigation earlier than they’re required to provide proof towards themselves.

However in contrast to felony regulation, the EFCDA states the commissioner should notify an individual who’s below investigation “at any time earlier than finishing” the investigation.

Part 11 of the Canadian Constitution of Rights and Freedoms outlines the rights of an individual charged with a felony offence. 

Swanberg requested the decide to search out overlap between the jeopardy below the EFCDA and felony ideas.

“It is felony ideas that are utilized in assessing penalties within the EFCDA,” mentioned Swanberg.

The act ‘should be revered’

However the lawyer for the elections commissioner argued there was nothing felony concerning the 2019 elections commissioner investigation. 

There have been no felony fees, no arrests, no prosecution, no risk or chance of incarceration and no felony information stemming from the inquiry, Paula Hale identified.

“This was an administrative investigation from begin to end,” mentioned Hale.

“The election commissioner didn’t maintain a listening to and he doesn’t adjudicate between two events, he has broad investigative powers and he’s additionally the decider: that could be unsatisfactory to Mr. Park, however that’s the system the legislature has created and should be revered.”

In 2017, Jeff Callaway ran a “kamikaze” marketing campaign on behalf of Jason Kenney.

Callaway ran for the only real goal of focusing on Kenney’s chief rival, Brian Jean, after which dropped out of the race to help Kenney.

It is alleged that cash was distributed to people like Park, who then donated it to the marketing campaign so as to make it look legit.

Park’s enchantment transient states that the $10,000 digital financial institution switch he acquired from Cam Davies (Callaway’s communications supervisor on the time) on Sept. 11, 2017, was a “signing bonus” owed to him.

Later that very same day, Park and his spouse every donated $3,500 to the Callaway marketing campaign.

Callaway dropped out of the management race in early October 2017. Kenney gained on Oct. 28, 2017.

The nameless grievance

In November 2018, then-elections commissioner Lorne Gibson acquired an nameless grievance naming Park, Callaway and others concerned within the marketing campaign. It alleged as a lot as 50 per cent of contributions to the Callaway marketing campaign was from PACs.

Park had been a constituency assistant for MP Tom Kmiec, and the letter alleged these positions are “not nicely paid.” 

“[Park and his wife] lack the monetary sources to make three and 4 thousand-dollar donations to anybody,” wrote the nameless complainant.

On Jan. 7, 2019, Dave Jennings, an investigator with the commissioner’s workplace, contacted Park, explaining he was investigating political contributions to the Callaway marketing campaign and was tasked with conducting quite a few interviews. 

Park ‘felt he had no selection’

Park, mentioned Swanberg, was by no means informed he was below investigation. On prime of that, Swanberg says references have been made on a number of events to felony obstruction fees if Park selected to not co-operate.

“He felt he had no selection however to attend the interview with Jennings,” mentioned Swanberg.

On Jan. 21, Park was formally interviewed by Jennings. Once more, Park was not informed he was a goal of the investigation.

That interview “resembles a cross-examination,” mentioned Swanberg.

Park solely discovered he was below investigation on Feb. 1, 2019, after he’d been questioned.

An e-mail despatched on that day alluded to “wrongdoing” on Park’s half. It was the primary time he understood he was below investigation, though the e-mail “didn’t clarify what jeopardy he might face,” argued Swanberg.

‘Perplexing’ letter

A second interview was then set for March 20. After he was questioned on that date, Park was handed a letter dated the identical day and signed by the commissioner. 

The letter was written by Gibson someday earlier than the questioning “and anticipated Mr. Park wouldn’t be useful and put findings into the letter earlier than the interview even occurred,” mentioned Swanberg.

The letter, argued Swanberg, exhibits the elections commissioner “was not approaching [the investigation] with an open thoughts as required by the regulation” and had reached conclusions and findings earlier than Park was questioned on March 20.

Park was fined in April.

The Callaway investigation grew to become the most important electoral investigation ever in Alberta. Greater than $200,000 in fines have been levied towards Callaway, marketing campaign workers and “straw” donors. Lots of the fines are the topic of judicial critiques. 

Proof gathered by means of that investigation and an additional felony grievance spawned an RCMP investigation into the funding of the kamikaze marketing campaign and alleged voter identification theft throughout the identical management race.