CALGARY, AB (August 11, 2015): Today, Wildrose Shadow Democracy and Accountability Minister Jason Nixon called on the NDP to keep their promise and commit to not publishing government spending announcements during the Calgary-Foothills byelection.
In response to a series of government announcements last October, including then-Education Minister Gordon Dirks announcing funding for two modular classrooms while he was campaigning for a seat in Calgary-Elbow, the NDP promised amendments to the current Elections Act to, “prohibit MLAs from using government resources during elections or byelections.”
“Abiding by a higher standard of scrutiny that doesn’t allow for vote buying during this byelection is what the people of Calgary-Foothills deserve,” Nixon said. “It is my hope that the NDP will not fall into the same traps as the former PC government and attempt to buy voters through flashy announcements for the constituency.”
During the recent legislative session, the NDP government failed to include any amendments to stop government spending announcements during a writ period.
“Wildrose believes government should be held to a higher standard during elections and byelections,” Nixon said. “We hope the NDP will agree and commit to no government announcements during the Calgary-Foothills byelection, and put an end to the same old politics of past PC governments.”
In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, governments are banned from making announcements during an election campaign or a byelection.