Alberta gov’t staffer denies wrongdoing in politicking allegations

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The chief of staff to Alberta’s associate minister of mental health and addictions rejects allegations that he forced recovering drug users at a B.C. rehab clinic to solicit support for a local Liberal party candidate more than a decade ago.

Business in Vancouver reported earlier this week that Marshall Smith, now a senior staffer to Alberta associate minister Jason Luan, gave clients in recovery B.C. Liberal Party membership lists ahead of the party’s 2011 leadership race. He allegedly had them cold-call members to gain support for the leadership campaign of Kevin Falcon, who was then a Liberal cabinet minister.

In a statement to Postmedia, Smith denied wrongdoing during his time as executive director at the Baldy Hughes Therapeutic Community in Prince George, B.C.

He said some Baldy Hughes clients volunteered on political campaigns during his tenure, which took place on weekends and away from the facility but denied charges of directing clients to campaign for Falcon.

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“At no time during my tenure did any client of the facility ever do any work on internal partisan business or party leadership contests and they certainly did not receive party membership lists,” Smith said. “Most importantly, no client or staff member ever directed or compelled individuals to support any party or candidate. All activity was off-site, and strictly voluntary.”

He added people recovering from addiction should be given opportunities to participate in political volunteering.

Further allegations in the Business in Vancouver report addressed links between Baldy Hughes and the province’s Liberal government. Some companies awarded contracts for work at the centre had a history of donations to the Liberal party.

Lori Sigurdson, the NDP Opposition critic for mental health and addictions, said these concerns raise alarms due to Smith’s current role in government, which involves contracts for recovery communities coming to Alberta.

“It’s important we are good stewards of taxpayer money and government money, which is meant to support people with mental health and addictions, which is under his review, should not be tied to political donations or political work,” Sigurdson said.

“These are allegations that happened some time ago, but if indeed they have happened, if I was a leader, I would make sure that I understood completely what went on and was making sure that people working for me are being ethical and responsible and doing what they should — not taking advantage of taxpayer money for their own party’s profit.”

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Luan announced last summer plans to build five long-term treatment centres for drug addiction, described as recovery communities, meant to add 400 beds across the province.

Justin Marshall, press secretary for Luan, said grant agreements from the associate ministry for service delivery involve “transparent procurement processes” and requests-for-proposals which are vetted by non-partisan public-service staff.

“Grant agreements are ultimately signed by the Deputy Minister, the most senior non-partisan public servant in the department,” said Marshall in a statement.

“Planning for the recovery communities announced in Alberta is underway and no contracts have been awarded.”

Sigurdson said concerns have previously emerged surrounding spending practices in the addictions portfolio.

She cited internal emails obtained by Postmedia, which showed panellists of a UCP-appointed committee, tasted with reviewing the socio-economic impacts of supervised-consumption sites, went more than $10,000 over budget on travel, meal and accommodation expenses.

It’s important for governments to avoid both real and perceived conflicts of interest when it comes to doling out public money, said University of Calgary Faculty of Law professor Lorian Hardcastle.

“I think that governments have to be as scrupulous as they possibly can in awarding contracts so they don’t seem to have a conflict of interest,” Hardcastle said.

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“That (Luan’s) chief of staff had been emerged in these conflict of interest issues in B.C, it would lead me to wonder exactly what role he’s playing here, especially as the government is embracing more of a recovery-based approach to addiction rather than a harm-reduction approach.”

Hardcastle saidalthough allegations occurred more than 10 years ago, the government should work to maintain public trust.

“I think they need to be as transparent as possible to dispel any concerns the public may have,” she said. “Explain that there’s nothing to see and explain how you’re going to prevent another situation like this from happening in Alberta.”

jherring@postmedia.com

Twitter: @jasonfherring