Elections Alberta says the separatist at the centre of a massive public data leak isn’t co-operating with its investigation.
The agency tells CTV News that David Parker, the leader of Centurion Project, has so far refused to comply with a cease-and-desist letter sent last week.
That letter required Parker sign a statement declaring he would stop using the official voter list, which contains the names, addresses and phone numbers of nearly three million Albertans.
A judge ordered Parker’s group late last month to remove that personal information from an app it created to make it publicly accessible.
Parker has said the goal of the app was the more easily identify and keep track of those who support separatism ahead of the expected fall referendum on the issue.
Lorne Gibson, who was previously the province’s independent election commissioner, believes Parker will face serious consequences if he doesn’t listen soon.
“I’m sure that there’s going to be quite extensive involvement from (Elections Alberta’s) investigative lawyers and general counsel looking to see what sorts of measures they can undertake to gain compliance,” he said.
Gibson says Parker may soon face obstruction charges, as well as potentially contempt of court penalties, if the case against him progresses.
That could result in fines, jail time or both.
“One of the best benefits of effective enforcement is to send a message to other individuals who might contemplate doing something similar,” he said.
Elections Alberta says 23 people were provided the list — which initially belonged to the Republican Party of Alberta — and 545 others accessed it.
The tool has now been shut down as Elections Alberta, the RCMP and Alberta’s privacy commissioner investigate the breach.
The Republican Party of Alberta has denied sharing the list with the Centurion Project, and Elections Alberta says it’s not clear how the list changed hands.
Elections Alberta says it sent 568 cease-and-desist letters last week.
Michelle Gurney, a spokesperson for Elections Alberta, said in an email that the agency couldn’t provide further details on Parker’s non-compliance and what options it has moving forward.
Combative history with Alberta’s election watchdog
This isn’t Parker’s first run in with Elections Alberta.
Parker is already being chased by Crown debt collection his group Take Back Alberta racked up $120,000 from 11 unpaid fines for breaching electoral financing rules last year.
At the time, Parker called those penalties politically motivated “lawfare” and denied any wrongdoing.
Last month on social media, Parker called the agency “corrupt to the core,” a “den of evil” and “a tool to suppress democracy,” in a series of posts made before the investigations into the Centurion Project were announced.
He wouldn’t respond to repeated media requests for an interview.
Cam Davies, who heads up the Republican Party of Alberta, says his party will be cooperating with Elections Alberta.
— with files from The Canadian Press
