Alberta NDP calls for special prosecutor to investigate Smith’s interference in justice system

The Alberta NDP is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Premier Danielle Smith’s interference in the province’s justice system.

Premier Danielle Smith was found to have violated the Conflict of Interest Act midway through the Alberta election when ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler released her report.

It was revealed in February by the NDP that Smith got in contact with controversial Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski in January when she spoke in an 11-minute phone call regarding a case about his involvement with the Coutts blockade.

The call was recorded on video and on Pawlowski’s YouTube page.

Pawlowski was later found guilty on charges of inciting mischief.

“This matter is far from closed. In fact, the UCP’s attempt to sweep this under the rug emphasizes the need for further investigation,” said Irfan Sabir, Alberta NDP Justice Critic, in a statement.

“Danielle Smith can’t be trusted. She has changed her story multiple times and refused to do the right thing. Albertans deserve to know if she committed a crime.”

The premier won the election on a majority of 49-38, losing former Justice Minister Tyler Shandro.

Following the phone call with Pawlowski, Trussler says Smith contacted Shandro, and he says she was “passive/aggressive throughout the call.”

“She asked him specifically if there was anything he could do about Mr. Pawlowski’s case. She wanted him to make it go away, although she did not direct him to do so. She was concerned about a press conference that Mr. Pawlowski said he was going to have and how bad the optics would be for the Party,” Trussler’s report reads.

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Current Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery has said he considers the matter closed.

“This matter has been investigated by the ethics commissioner. She has released her report indicating the NDP, including Mr. Sabir, lied to Albertans for months regarding their accusations of contact with Crown Prosecutors. The report also provided recommendations that the Premier is implementing,” said the justice minister’s office.

However, the NDP cites Jim Foster, a former attorney general under Peter Lougheed and judge, and that he thinks “Smith’s actions go beyond the Conflict of Interest Act,” adding he believes the Crown should investigate “the matter further to see if criminal charges should be laid.”

“The fact that the premier broke the law, willfully interfered in the legal system, and her actions were viewed by the Ethics Commissioner as a threat to our democracy are very concerning. Even more concerning is that she may have committed a criminal act. It must be taken seriously and investigated in full,” Sabir’s statement reads.

“The only way to get to the bottom of this is to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Danielle Smith’s actions.”

CityNews has reached out to the Office of the Premier for comment but has not heard back at this time.

-With files from Lauryn Heintz and The Canadian Press