United Conservative Partly Leader Danielle Smith broke conflict-of-interest rules while serving as premier in connection with discussions she had about criminal charges laid against a man involved in a pandemic health rules protest, Alberta’s ethics commissioner has concluded.
Marguerite Trussler’s report on the matter was published online on Thursday, the same day Smith was set to take part in an election debate with NDP Leader Rachel Notley.
Albertans will head to the polls on May 29. In her report, Trussler says Smith’s violation has to do with conversations she had as premier with then justice minister Tyler Shandro regarding to criminal charges against Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski.
Earlier this month, Pawlowski was found guilty of mischief for his role in a protest last year over COVID-19 restrictions that disrupted traffic at Alberta’s main border crossing into the U.S.