Kenney would have known about MLAs’ vacation plans: former deputy premier

EDMONTON (CityNews) – Premier Jason Kenney said he was previously unaware that several United Conservative staff members and MLAs travelled abroad for the holidays – but a former Alberta deputy premier isn’t buying it.

Long-time Alberta MLA and former cabinet member Thomas Lukaszuk – an elected official with the Progressive Conservative party from 2001 to 2015 – says Kenney would likely have known the whereabouts of his MLAs before the issue turned into a scandal.

He says there’s a process for politicians and members of cabinet who want to leave the province.

“There is a form that says when you are going, where you are going, how long and how to contact you,” said Lukaszuk. “It’s not like you sign those forms and they go into a shredder.”

READ MORE: Albertans continue to express frustration over MLAs’ out-of-province vacations

Lukaszuk believes travelling cabinet members would have submitted this form to the premier’s office, and MLAs would have submitted a similar form to the party whip. Meanwhile UCP staffers like Kenney’s Chief of Staff Jamie Huckabay would have let their bosses know, according to Lukaszuk.

“No one should accept that the premier didn’t know about ministers travelling, ministers didn’t know about staff travelling, and Whip didn’t know about MLAs travelling,” he said.

Minister of Municipal Affairs Tracey Allard did confirm she submitted the form before travelling to Hawaii.

The premier’s office disputed that the form says where you are going but did not provide a copy as proof.

“The letter does not indicate specific holiday plans and/or locations,” said deputy press secretary Harrison Fleming in an emailed statement. “This is a routine notification form, and not a request for approval.”

WATCH: List of politicians who left Alberta over the holidays

Fleming did confirm an eighth elected official left the country on holiday. Tany Yao, the MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo, is currently abroad.

“We are attempting to reach him to instruct him to return in line with the Premier’s directive,” said Fleming.

.@CityNewsYEG asked the Premier's office if any other MLA travelled this season:

Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo MLA @TanyYao is "currently abroad. We are attempting to reach him to instruct him to return in line with the Premier's directive."
(Pic from Facebook) #abpoli #ableg pic.twitter.com/m9D0p92VrS

— Carly Robinson (@CarlyDRobinson) January 3, 2021

MacEwan University political scientist Chaldeans Mensah says Kenney will need to deal with the scandal as soon as possible in order for voters to forget about it before the next election.

“Kenney needs to deal with it with a cabinet shuffle, and he needs to do it quickly, in the coming days and weeks before a budget comes out,” said Mensah.

“This one captures a view of elitism by his cabinet members, and this one hits home to people.”