Premier Redford

Alberta Premier Alison Redford is dismissing comments from a senior
Progressive Conservative party fundraiser who said she was "stupid" to
suspend trade envoy Gary Mar in a fundraising scandal.
"He's a volunteer, he's a member of the party, he's certainly an active member," Redford said Wednesday about John Chomiak.

"He's entitled to his opinion. I don't happen to agree with his
opinion and that will be the end of the matter from my perspective."
Chomiak, Mar's fundraiser, and a key fundraiser for former premier Ed
Stelmach, made the comments to a Calgary newspaper, saying Redford
should have at least talked to some of the people involved before taking
action.
The premier said suspending Mar without pay was the prudent thing to
do as an employer while an independent investigator gets to the bottom
of what happened.
"This is what I certainly feel comfortable doing. I acted on this immediately. This is what Albertans expected," she said.

"I believe it was the appropriate step to take."

Redford also confirmed the case is now in the hands of Peter Watson,
Alberta's top civil servant and the man who advises her cabinet.
Watson will hire an outside investigator to review the case.

Redford said there is no timeline on when the review will be done.

Redford initially asked legislature ethics commissioner Neil
Wilkinson to handle the case, but Wilkinson returned the case to her
late Tuesday, saying it was outside his jurisdiction.
Wilkinson, in an interview, said he was not surprised the premier
initially gave the job to him. His office has been the go-to authority
for all such issues.
But he said the Mar case is unique.


"The only thing where we do not have authority over is investigation
of senior officials. That clearly comes under the code of conduct for
civil servants, and that's the process they're rightfully following," he
said.
Redford said she suspended Mar last Friday after a reporter showed
her a cellphone picture of an invitation to a March 1st Mar fundraiser
that spelled out he was there in the capacity as trade envoy to Asia.
That invitation was pulled shortly after it was sent out and reissued with Mar's title removed.

More than 100 supporters reportedly paid $400 a plate to hear Mar
speak about trade opportunities in Asia at the event. A trip to Hong
Kong, where Mar is based, was also auctioned off for $20,000.
Mar has said he is innocent and would not knowingly leverage his job as trade envoy to raise funds to pay private debts.

Mar says the auction winner was not promised insider access to Asian
business leaders and no one who attended the event was offered
preferential treatment.
His failed run last year to replace Ed Stelmach as party leader and
premier cost $2.7 million, of which he was $60,000 out of pocket
personally.
Mar is paid $265,000 a year as envoy.

The affair comes at a politically volatile time for Redford's Progressive Conservatives.

They must by law hold an election sometime in the next two months.

Opponents such as the Wildrose party are gaining ground with
arguments that the Mar case typifies a corrupt government that can't
recognize, let alone toe, the ethical line after being in charge for 40
years.
In question period Wednesday, Wildrose critic Paul Hinman said the
premier showed poor leadership by calling for an investigation instead
of exonerating Mar or sacking him for good.
"What are you going to do, premier? Run over him or stop and pick him
up? Show some real-life leadership," Hinman told the house.
Redford was not in the legislature, but government house leader Dave Hancock said the premier made the responsible decision.

"She did the right thing immediately and said, 'An investigation will
take place.' She did not say, 'A hanging will take place,"' said
Hancock.
Earlier this week, opposition politicians said Redford should not
have hired Mar for the job so quickly after defeating him in the Tory
party leadership race last fall.
The move was seen as fence-mending to Mar and his supporters. The
former cabinet minister had been the overwhelming favourite to replace
Stelmach but was stunned by Redford on the second round of voting on a
preferential ballot.
Opponents note that Mar has a history of questionable dealings,
including paying out almost $400,000 to a former assistant for no work.
Mar said it was for verbal advice.







http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2012/03/15/edmonton-.html