A main figure associated with the separatist Centurion Project is not collaborating with Elections Alberta’s inquiry into alleged impropriety concerning the province’s list of voters, as per the agency. Chief electoral officer Gordon McClure stated on Tuesday that David Parker is declining to cooperate with the investigation and has rejected signing a statutory declaration agreeing to cease use of the list of electors.
In a late Tuesday statement, Parker’s attorney Chad Williamson mentioned that Parker refuses to sign the declaration, asserting that the agency lacks the authority to compel him to do so. Williamson contended that Elections Alberta was propagating a fictitious storyline, emphasizing that standing up for fundamental constitutional rights against governmental overreach is not defiance but a pillar of the justice system.
Parker, a seasoned political organizer, has been endorsing the Centurion Project in emails and online videos as a potent tool to identify Albertans supporting separation from Canada and to recruit campaign volunteers. There is anticipation among supporters that an independence query will be included in an upcoming Alberta referendum vote on immigration and constitutional matters set for October 19.
Investigations are ongoing by Elections Alberta, Alberta’s privacy commissioner, and the RCMP regarding allegations that the Centurion Project inappropriately acquired and utilized a list of electors provided to the Republican Party of Alberta.
McClure disclosed to the media on Monday that Elections Alberta has dispatched 566 cease and desist notifications to individuals who registered accounts to access an online database containing personal data of nearly three million Albertans. The agency has requested 21 individuals identified as having received the voters list from the Centurion Project to sign a statutory declaration confirming compliance with the directive not to use the list.
Republican Party of Alberta Leader Cameron Davies mentioned in a Tuesday statement that the party is cooperating with the investigation and as far as he knows, Elections Alberta has not issued any such letter to individuals who had authorized access to the electoral list within the party.
Under the Elections Act, individuals found guilty of misusing information from the list of electors may face fines of up to $100,000, imprisonment for up to a year, or both.
Parker, renowned as the founder of the conservative grassroots political organization and third-party advertiser Take Back Alberta (TBA), has a history of disciplinary actions with Elections Alberta. Last year, TBA and Parker were fined over $120,000 by Elections Alberta for violations of election finance laws, including failure to report fundraising income, bypassing election advertising restrictions, and knowingly making false statements to the chief electoral officer.
Parker had previously made critical social media posts regarding Elections Alberta before complaints about the Centurion Project and the agency’s investigation surfaced. There have been allegations against Parker concerning his involvement with unauthorized voter data, which he has refuted.
Political reactions to the investigation have emerged, with Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi expressing concerns about Premier Danielle Smith potentially encouraging citizens to flout the law. Nenshi highlighted worries about an individual with potential access to voter data who refuses to commit to refraining from its utilization.
Nenshi linked Parker to Smith’s premiership, criticizing the government and UCP MLAs for their handling of elections law amendments and funding requests by the chief electoral officer. Smith, in response to Nenshi’s inquiries in the legislature, defended the actions taken by Elections Alberta in identifying the likely source of the voter list and initiating an investigation.
She emphasized that the process appears to be functioning appropriately and stated that her government would consider any legislative adjustments recommended post the completion of the investigations.