User:Oceanflynn/sandbox/UCP voter fraud scandal

UCP voter fraud scandal refers to ongoing investigations undertaken by the Alberta Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Alberta Election Commissioner regarding the 2017 United Conservative Party leadership election, Premier Jason Kenney's campaign, and "allegations of voter fraud". The RCMP and the Election Commissioner are "investigating different aspects" of the 2017 leadership campaign. including "irregular financial donations". As well, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service recently appointed a Crown prosecutor from Ontario’s Ministry of the Attorney General to advise the RCMP on their investigation. By August 7, 2019 Premier Jason Kenney, five Government of Alberta cabinet ministers, including including Solicitor General Doug Schweitzer, Seniors and Housing Minister Josephine Pon, Infrastructure Minister Prasad Panda, Culture and Multiculturalism Minister Leela Aheer and Associate Minister of Mental Health Jason Luan—all of whom are from the Calgary region— at least one UCP MLA, Calgary-East MLA Peter Singh, and at least one federal Conservative candidate—Tim Uppal—had been interviewed by the RCMP as part of the voter fraud investigation. Kenney has denied the allegations and all those interviewed say they are not the subjects of the investigations.

Background
In December 2018, Happy Mann, who ran for a UCP nomination in the Calgary-Falconridge, but was not successful, and had donated $3,000 to the Jeff Callaway’s UCP leadership campaign in 2017, told The Star that "he had attended meetings with Callaway and Kenney where they discussed organizing and funding for Callaway’s "kamikaze" campaign."

By March 17, 2017 The Star reported that the RCMP and Alberta Election Commissioner were investigating "allegations that Kenney’s team orchestrated Jeff Callaway’s UCP leadership bid in 2017 in order to attack former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean, Kenney’s biggest rival. The investigations are also delving into allegations that Callaway’s campaign was fuelled by illegal donations."

In a February 2019 letter to the RCMP, former UCP MLA Prab Gill, said that Jason Kenney's campaign "used fake emails to cast votes" through "various kiosks around Alberta".

In February, 2019 Davies was fined $15,000 by the Alberta Election Commissioner for "obstruction of an investigation".

According to a March 17, 2019, article in  The Toronto Star, which was based on "dozens of emails and a written statement" by Jeff Callaway's former campaign communications advisor, Cameron Davies, Kenney knew about the strategies used to weaken the campaign of Kenney's rival—the PC Party Wildrose leader Brian Jean. While the documents confirmed that Kenney's staffers had provided Callaway with "strategic plans, attack ads, speeches, and talking points" that would discredit Jean, The Star report said that it was not clear "whether the political manoeuvring detailed" in Davies' emails" was illegal.

On April 10, 2019, CBC News reported that a failed emergency injunction to "pause the investigation into his campaign" during the 2019 Alberta general election by Callaway, "four of his family members and Robyn Lore", who "had ties to the campaign", resulted in documents being made public, which included a letter from the Alberta Election Commissioner that said Callaway "could face two years in prison or a $50,000 fine" and ordered him "to repay $26,500 in contributions". "Callaway's former chief financial officer also faces the prospect of two years in prison and the $50,000 fine for "corrupt practices."" An emergency injunction halt probe Callaway's UCP leadership campaign during 2019 Alberta general election denied by Court of Queen's Bench Justice Anne Kirker.

By July 12, 2019, Calgary-East UCP MLA Peter Singh faced allegations by the Elections Commissioner of "fraud, forgery, improper inducement and bribery" during his campaign for nomination in the Calgary-East riding.

In August, it was revealed that the office of the Alberta Election Commissioner was continuing its investigation of the 2017 United Conservative Party leadership election and Kenney's leadership campaign. The next day, Premier Kenney announced that "all aspects of the provincial government could be subject to budget cuts, including the office of the election commissioner." According to an August 7, 2019 CBC News report, "an investigator reached out to a former party member who alleges he spent $6,000 on memberships for others to support Kenney and that he was told by Kenney that a further 600 memberships he signed up would be paid for by someone else." Tariq Chaudhry said that Kenney had told him to run as UCP MLA in the riding of Edmonton-Mill Woods in the Alberta provincial election. He said that Kenney's team had requested that he host two Eid events in 2018 to provide an opportunity for "Kenney to meet Edmonton's Pakistani community." He said that after these events, the UCP "stopped returning his calls and texts" and that they had "never reimbursed" him for the Eid events. The CBC News said that none of these allegations have been proven.

By August 7, the election commissioner had "levied $163,850 in fines alleging that "corporate money was funelled" into Jeff Callaway's "kamikaze" campaign by "using the names of other donors", through "irregular donations". According to the August 7, CBC News report, Callaway's resignation speech was written by Matt Wolf, who at that time was Kenney's deputy chief of staff and who is now Director of issues managementstaff of the premier's office as director of issues manage in Premier Kenney's office.

The RCMP investigations are focusing on "allegations of identity fraud which are tied to the 2017 UCP leadership election. The UCP claims the campaign was "clean".

CBC News has previously revealed that fraudulent emails were used to cast ballots in that vote. It's alleged PINs needed to cast a ballot were intercepted and used to vote for Kenney.

Tim Uppal, who is running in Edmonton, in the fall 2019 Canadian federal election, had served as cabinet minister under the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper’s government. From May through July, Uppah "was contracted to work for the United Conservative caucus...doing stakeholder relations."

Derek Fildebrandt in July 2017 Callaway August 10, 2017 withdraw on October 4th, 24 fines totalling $70,000 by the Alberta Election Commissioner on July 18, 2019 investigation Kenney orchestrated Callaway’s candidacy to attack Jean Callaway’s campaign funded illegal.