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Troubled Conservative nominations could influence voters, political scientist says

Police have launched a criminal investigation into accusations a former minister in Alberta’s Tory cabinet offered a $10,000 bribe in hopes of keeping his seat in the legislature. Edmonton police confirmed Wednesday that Naresh Bhardwaj, once an associate minister in Jim Prentice’s cabinet, is the subject of a criminal investigation.

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EDMONTON – Police have launched a criminal investigation into accusations a former minister in Alberta’s Tory cabinet offered a $10,000 bribe in hopes of keeping his seat in the legislature.

Edmonton police confirmed Wednesday that Naresh Bhardwaj, once an associate minister in Jim Prentice’s cabinet, is the subject of a criminal investigation.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said the criminal investigation, combined with a host of rancorous nomination battles, defamation suits, and the biting resignation of a former party president this week, could damage the governing party at the polls.

Tory Leader Jim Prentice said Thursday he is certain Bhardwaj will be cleared.

“I believe that at the end of the day Mr. Bhardwaj will be totally innocent,” Prentice said. “He’s a fine man, he’s a fine human being, and we’ll let that take its course.”

The accusations stem from the PC nomination battle in Edmonton-Ellerslie, where two-term MLA Bhardwaj was facing a challenger. He allegedly approached one of his opponent’s supporters and offered him $10,000 to withdraw his support. 

Bhardwaj denied the accusations and filed a $1-million defamation lawsuit. 

An internal Tory party investigation stopped short of publicly clearing Bhardwaj and he withdrew his candidacy. On April 4, the party replaced him.

Bratt said Albertans rarely pay attention to internal party politics, but the numerous high-profile incidents in the run-up to the 2015 election could penetrate the public conscience.

“If it’s ever going to have an impact, it would be now,” Bratt said.

In addition to the Bhardwaj debacle, former PC party president Jim McCormick resigned March 24 and issued a cutting statement, saying he “cannot and will not participate on a board where the head has no respect for it, its role and its members, regardless of letter, the intent, the spirit of the constitution.”

In Edmonton-Decore, disqualified Tory candidate Don Martin has launched a $124,000-defamation suit against the party, claiming he was never allowed to respond to charges he tried to bribe another candidate. 

In Edmonton-Meadowlark, PC candidate Tom Choucair claimed he was pressured to withdraw from the race but refused, then faced allegations of bribery as well. In an interview with the CBC, he said there were “underhanded, slimy, political manoeuvres happening in the backroom.”

In Chestermere-Rocky View, Conservative candidate Jamie Lall was told, via text, he was no longer welcome in the race. He was given no reason. Lall plans to run as an Independent.

Nominations in Calgary-McCall, Calgary-Fort, Spruce Grove-Stony Plain, Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills and Bonnyville-Cold Lake all required party intervention.

Then Gordon Bull — the private investigator the Conservatives hired to vet candidates and look into the Bhardwaj affair — was forced to step down as lead investigator for the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council after his close ties to the governing party were revealed.

“We’ve known for years the separation between party and government doesn’t really exist in this province,” Bratt said.

“We know that appointments … are all based on membership in the Tory party, in the Progressive Conservative establishment. Then we see floor crossings into that establishment,” he said, referring to the 11 Wildrose MLAs who joined the Tories last winter.

“It all leaves the impression they’re anti-democratic, they’re party first, that there’s an authoritarian streak, a win-at-all-costs approach — and that’s not fair.”

He said Albertans have now seen the benefits of a strong opposition and may be less willing to forget about the questions raised by the way the long-governing Tories handled the nominations if opposition parties make it an issue.

“Look at what we learned. … The sky palace, the flights, all the freedom of information requests, the scrutiny over the tobacco lawsuit,” Bratt said. “All of those things occurred because you had a strong opposition.” 

kkleiss@edmontonjournal.com

twitter.com/ablegreporter

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