Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach said he doesn't believe the Tory connections are a problem, especially since all returning officers are picked by the chief electoral officer.I wish someone could explain to me how Ed Stelmach doesn't think this is an issue?
"They're all interviewed by the chief electoral officer and were selected by the electoral officer," Stelmach said Tuesday in Strathmore.But Jacqueline Roblin, spokeswoman for Elections Alberta, said the names of returning officers actually come directly from Stelmach.
"They come right from the premier's office with these names that they are recommending that they be appointed," she said Wednesday.
...
Roblin said candidates for returning officer jobs are interviewed by the chief electoral officer to ensure they follow provincial law. She said about half of the returning officers questioned have connections to the Tories, while the other half said they don't have ties to any political party.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
"they come right from the premier's office."
Can someone please explain to me how the Premier of Alberta recommending appointments of election Returning Officers is appropriate on any level?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Can't beat the tories on the issues... might as well flog a dead horse. These are professional individuals who have made all of their party ties very clear to the electoral officer before their selection. Let them do their jobs.
ReplyDeleteBull. The actual individuals aren't the issue; it's the process. This isn't a dead horse--it's a serious problem with democracy in Alberta. Yes, let the returning officers do their jobs, but the flippant attitude that Stelmach & co display toward this is astounding.
ReplyDeleteCan't win on the issues? How about the issue of clean government?
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing that people can defend this kind of conflict of interest.
Appointing Robin Darsi to oversee an election?
You Tories are not only out of your league, you're out of your minds.
The Alberta Tories are like the communists party in Russia. They install party apparatchiks in all key electoral positions to ensure victory.
ReplyDeleteI thought when Klein retired that the bozo years were behind us. It turns out Stelmach is a clown of epic proportion.
I think Robert Mugabe runs cleaner election than the Stelmach PCs.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very serious issue.
ReplyDeleteCredibility is required.
If someone admits they are connected to a political party they should not be allowed to act as returning officer.
It's the same in the courts, it's not enough that justice is done, it must be seen that justice is being done.
From my perspective this a conflict of interest.
I think the electoral officer has erred.
I would demand they correct this ASAP!
Or, I would immediately ask them to resign, on record.
Good Luck Alberta!
Hmmmer. Things that make ya go, hmmm?