Former Alberta premier Alison Redford is once again facing backlash, this time over her absence from legislature in the month since resigning from the province鈥檚 top political job.
Redford, who resigned on March 23 following unrest over her leadership and questionable expenses, continues to collect a salary as an MLA for the riding of Calgary-Elbow.
She has missed 11 sittings in the legislature since stepping down.
Redford鈥檚 staff notified the Speaker of the House that her absence from session is warranted, meaning she continues to collect her full salary. Alberta's rules state that MLAs will not be docked pay if they鈥檙e away for illness, injury, bereavement or official business.
And while Redford鈥檚 reason for absence has not been made public, she hasn鈥檛 been completely out of the public鈥檚 view. On Friday, Redford was spotted by a Calgary woman dining in Palm Springs, Calif.
鈥淭his lady and her daughter walked by and my husband said 鈥楲ook, look, who鈥檚 that?鈥� I went, 鈥極h my goodness, that鈥檚 Alison Redford,鈥� Conny Want said in an interview with 麻豆影视.
鈥淎nd then my girlfriend and her husband and son and daughter-in-law were there last night at the same restaurant and she was there again.鈥�
The bistro in Palm Springs confirmed to 麻豆影视 that Redford had a reservation there on April 20.
Political scientist Robert Murray says the optics are 鈥渢errible.鈥�
鈥淧rimarily because we don鈥檛 really know what it is that she petitioned (to get) the leave the speaker granted,鈥� Murray told 麻豆影视.
Murray suggests the backlash could impact Alberta鈥檚 Progressive Conservative party.
鈥淎s they鈥檙e trying to forge an identity away from her, she keeps creeping back into the media cycle, which is going to cause problems for the party,鈥� he said.
Constituents in Calgary riding are unimpressed, saying their MLA is missing in action.
鈥淚 think she should resign. And normally, even after she resigned as premier, I was supportive,鈥� said one constituent. 鈥淚 thought perhaps she鈥檇 spend more time looking after us in Elbow Park but that hasn鈥檛 happened.鈥�
Derek Fildebrandt, Alberta鈥檚 director of the Canadian Taxpayers Association, says voters would be willing to cut Redford some slack if she addressed the matter publicly and took unpaid leave.
鈥淚 think all she has to do is issue a brief statement saying, 鈥業鈥檓 not up to the job right now, I鈥檓 going to take an unpaid leave of absence.鈥� And I think people will understand that.鈥�
Fellow PC MLA Thomas Lukaszuk said unless she is unwell, Redford should return to the legislature.
鈥淚 think the expectation is clear, not only for MLAs, but for any Albertan who鈥檚 employed,鈥� Lukaszuk said. 鈥淪how up at work and do the work that you鈥檙e paid for.鈥�
A spokesperson for Alberta Premier Dave Hancock鈥檚 office says attendance matters are between an MLA and the speaker.
Had Redford not given notice to the Speaker, she would be docked $100 per day after 10 missed days.
With a report from 麻豆影视鈥� Janet Dirks
