Alberta Premier Says Ministers, Staff Will Accept Playoff Hockey Tickets On-Site

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she doesn’t think it would violate ethics rules for her ministers and political staff to accept tickets to luxury suites at playoff hockey games.

Smith expects individual lawmakers to follow the rules and properly report gifts to the province’s ethics commissioner.

But opposition leader Naheed Nenshi of New Democrats says attending the matches at the expense of lobbyists is a clear example of cronyism and arrogance.

Smith made the comments Friday in response to questions from reporters at a KDays breakfast in Edmonton, part of the launch of the city’s annual summer festival.

The questions arose from a report by the Globe and Mail that revealed that ministers and government officials attended recent NHL playoff games involving the Edmonton Oilers, hosted by Sam Mraiche, a businessman involved in a government deal to buy painkillers for children from Turkey.

“As far as I know, all the rules were followed,” Smith said when asked what message the public gets that the senior staff were in a private box paid for by Mraiche, head of MHCare Medical.

The drug, made by Istanbul-based Atabay Pharmaceuticals, cost taxpayers $80 million, but deliveries were delayed and its use in hospitals was eventually halted over safety concerns.

Smith would not say how many of her ministers came to the play-off games as guests of Mraiche.

MHCare Medical did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Smith said the relationship between elected members of the Legislature and the ethics commissioner is confidential and it is not appropriate for her to interfere.

Smith confirmed she attended a play-off game in Vancouver hosted by Invest Alberta, a provincial government-owned corporation focused on attracting investment and increasing business growth.

“I have a very strong relationship with Invest Alberta. They report to me,” she said.

The board, she added, “is doing a great job.”

When asked how she would explain it to Albertans, who might see the game tickets as a favor, Smith said people expect elected officials to support the Oilers’ playoff run.

“That was it. We were just happy to support our team,” she said.

Last year, Smith said she turned down an invitation to the NHL’s Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game in Edmonton because ethics rules prohibited her from staying in private suites for more than 20 minutes during special events.

In November, the Smith administration implemented changes to these rules.

Politicians and staff are now allowed to accept event tickets, admission fees and travel expenses of any value if they are deemed necessary under ‘protocol’ or ‘social obligation’, but MPs must declare benefits worth more than $1,000.

Marshall Smith, the prime minister’s chief of staff, has the discretion to approve honoraria, gifts or benefits of more than $500 for political staff.

According to Nenshi, the changes the prime minister has made to the ethics rules give the impression that the government can be bought off.

“The fact that ministers and staff are sitting in lobbyists’ lavish boxes while we are facing an affordability crisis in this province not only looks bad, it shows that they live in a different world than the average Albertan,” Nenshi said in a statement.

The leader called on Smith to identify all staff and politicians who accepted tickets and from whom, and who paid for the trip.

He also called on her to commit to a multi-party process to improve ethics rules and disclosures, including removing the prime minister’s chief of staff’s “carte blanche” power to approve a gift of any amount.

In response to questions from The Canadian Press on Friday about the details of the tickets accepted from Mraiche, the prime minister’s spokesman Sam Blackett sent a statement.

“Our government ministers and staff are committed to following these rules and are doing so to the best of their ability,” he wrote.

“Officials are working with the commissioner to ensure the rules for accepting play-off tickets are as clear as possible.”

Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press