Both Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach and Alberta's health minister say they don't support a government-appointed health board member who publicly endorsed a party candidate, but any any action on the issue will have to wait.
As CBC News first reported Wednesday, Donna Bier, who sits on the Chinook Health Region board, placed an ad in the Lethbridge Herald last week encouraging people to vote for the Conservative candidate in Lethbridge-East.
Donna Bier placed the ad endorsing a Tory candidate in the Lethbridge Herald on Sunday and Monday.
(CBC)
In the ad that features her photo, health board title and a PC party logo, Bier says she believes a Progressive Conservative government is best able to meet health-care challenges.
Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft said the health minister should do something.
"This is a violation of basic principles," he said in Calgary. "I think it might be a violation of the law. The appropriate action is to remove the person from the board, it's as simple as that."
When asked by CBC News about the issue on Tuesday, Stelmach said he didn't know about the ad. The next day in Lethbridge, he said he can't support the ad, but deciding what to do about it will have to wait until after next week's election.
"During the election, I'm not going to be stopping now to look at this particular issue, although as I said before, it's something we don't support, not when it comes from an agency or a board that's been appointed by government," he said.
Health Minister Dave Hancock, who is also campaigning to be re-elected in Edmonton-Whitemud, said it's inappropriate for regional health board members to publicly endorse candidates in the March 3 provincial election, but he's not sure how Bier can be disciplined.
"In this case, people might say well, this is an appropriate place for consideration as to whether a person should continue on as a board member or not. But you have to be very clear that the minister just can't go in and replace board members just because," he said Wednesday.
Jack Ady, chair of the health board that serves southwestern Alberta, publicly apologized for Bier using her title in a political endorsement ad. He said any disciplinary action is up to the health minister.
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Riding Profiles
More Alberta Votes Headlines »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
