Alberta chief electoral officer warns UCP proposed bill will hurt investigations [Video]

Alberta’s chief electoral officer is warning the government that proposed legislation will impair the election commissioner’s power to investigate election rule breaking.

A controversial bill introduced last month, if passed, will make sweeping changes to voting and referendums in the province, and is making its way through debate in the legislature.

In documents sent to Justice Minister Mickey Amery and all legislature members, chief electoral officer Gordon McClure warns that some changes in the bill will reduce the election commissioner’s ability to investigate and enforce compliance with election law, including financial contribution rules.

A summary of concerns attached to the email says that under one of the bill’s proposed changes, none of the significant investigations undertaken by the election commissioner in the last five years …