Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley is calling for a judicial review after she claimed Premier Danielle Smith interfered in the justice system.."The premier does not have unfettered control of our justice system. Not in a Canadian democracy," Notley said on Twitter..Smith said again on Wednesday she has no knowledge of anyone in her office contacting the Crown's office over charges laid after the Coutts Freedom Convoy blockade.."As also indicated previously in multiple interviews, I received a legal brief from the Ministry of Justice recommending against pursuing amnesty further as several matters involving this issue were and still are before the courts," Smith said in a statement Wednesday.."I have followed that advice.".On Wednesday, the Alberta NDP released a leaked video where Smith chats with Artur Pawlowski about his case.."Yesterday Albertans were shown a video which it contained deeply, deeply disturbing elements," Notley said.."In particular, what we saw was the premier of Alberta engaged in an 11 minute conversation with someone on the eve of their trial, where they were about to be tried for two criminal charges relating to their participation and a blockade, which char have caused almost a billion dollars of economic loss to people in this province.".Pawlowski was fired Tuesday as leader of the Alberta Independence Party..Pawlowski was repeatedly ticketed and jailed for breaking provincial COVID-19 lockdown regulations. The phone conversation between Smith and Pawlowski happened in early January, just weeks before his trial in Lethbridge on February 2.."At no time have I spoken with anyone from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, nor to my knowledge, have any of my office’s staff," Smith said.."Allegations to the contrary are defamatory and will be dealt with accordingly.".Smith said earlier, "in an effort to continue their campaign of defamatory attacks against her and her office staff, the CBC intends to release an article about a conversation she had with an individual named Artur Pawlowski.".“During a live press conference on Feb. 9, 2023, I referenced this very conversation where Mr. Pawlowski expressed his frustration to me with pandemic-related public health orders," Smith said.."This should come as no shock since I spent a lot of time before and during my leadership campaign talking to hundreds of Albertans about COVID-related public health orders and violations. As I previously stated, I had my staff work with the Ministry of Justice to determine if anything could be done to grant amnesty for those charged with non-violent, non-firearms COVID-related charges.".Smith reaffirmed Wednesday at no time has she spoken with anyone from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service..In Jan. 2022, CBC News reported a staffer in Smith's office sent a series of emails to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service about the Coutts border blockades and protests..“Premier Smith has not been in contact with Crown prosecutors and has no knowledge of anyone on her staff having done so," the Premier's Office told the Western Standard.."This is a serious allegation. If a staff member has been in touch with a Crown prosecutor, appropriate action will be taken."."The emails were sent last fall, according to sources whom CBC has agreed not to identify because they fear they could lose their jobs," CBC News reported.."Soon after Smith was elected leader of the United Conservative Party and sworn in as premier, her office asked for a briefing on the cases. Subsequent emails critiqued the prosecutors' assessment of the charges and pushed back on the characterizations of the protest.".No emails were ever found..In the new recording released by the Alberta NDP, Smith tells Pawlowski, "Can you just leave this with me and I will make that request one more time?"."I'm very sympathetic," Smith said on the recording in regard to his case.."It was a political decision that initiated this, but it can't be a political decision to end it. That's what I'm finding very frustrating.".Smith repeatedly mentioned Rob Anderson, the executive director of the Premier's Office in the recording.."Rob Anderson has been doing most of my work with justice in pushing this along," Smith said.."No one contacted Crown prosecutors, this was all reported earlier," Anderson told the Western Standard Wednesday.."She was referring to the minister of Justice. She misspoke. No one has ever contacted Crown prosecutors.".Anderson said the Crown prosecutor service repeatedly stated they have never been contacted by the premier's office or the premier.
Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley is calling for a judicial review after she claimed Premier Danielle Smith interfered in the justice system.."The premier does not have unfettered control of our justice system. Not in a Canadian democracy," Notley said on Twitter..Smith said again on Wednesday she has no knowledge of anyone in her office contacting the Crown's office over charges laid after the Coutts Freedom Convoy blockade.."As also indicated previously in multiple interviews, I received a legal brief from the Ministry of Justice recommending against pursuing amnesty further as several matters involving this issue were and still are before the courts," Smith said in a statement Wednesday.."I have followed that advice.".On Wednesday, the Alberta NDP released a leaked video where Smith chats with Artur Pawlowski about his case.."Yesterday Albertans were shown a video which it contained deeply, deeply disturbing elements," Notley said.."In particular, what we saw was the premier of Alberta engaged in an 11 minute conversation with someone on the eve of their trial, where they were about to be tried for two criminal charges relating to their participation and a blockade, which char have caused almost a billion dollars of economic loss to people in this province.".Pawlowski was fired Tuesday as leader of the Alberta Independence Party..Pawlowski was repeatedly ticketed and jailed for breaking provincial COVID-19 lockdown regulations. The phone conversation between Smith and Pawlowski happened in early January, just weeks before his trial in Lethbridge on February 2.."At no time have I spoken with anyone from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, nor to my knowledge, have any of my office’s staff," Smith said.."Allegations to the contrary are defamatory and will be dealt with accordingly.".Smith said earlier, "in an effort to continue their campaign of defamatory attacks against her and her office staff, the CBC intends to release an article about a conversation she had with an individual named Artur Pawlowski.".“During a live press conference on Feb. 9, 2023, I referenced this very conversation where Mr. Pawlowski expressed his frustration to me with pandemic-related public health orders," Smith said.."This should come as no shock since I spent a lot of time before and during my leadership campaign talking to hundreds of Albertans about COVID-related public health orders and violations. As I previously stated, I had my staff work with the Ministry of Justice to determine if anything could be done to grant amnesty for those charged with non-violent, non-firearms COVID-related charges.".Smith reaffirmed Wednesday at no time has she spoken with anyone from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service..In Jan. 2022, CBC News reported a staffer in Smith's office sent a series of emails to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service about the Coutts border blockades and protests..“Premier Smith has not been in contact with Crown prosecutors and has no knowledge of anyone on her staff having done so," the Premier's Office told the Western Standard.."This is a serious allegation. If a staff member has been in touch with a Crown prosecutor, appropriate action will be taken."."The emails were sent last fall, according to sources whom CBC has agreed not to identify because they fear they could lose their jobs," CBC News reported.."Soon after Smith was elected leader of the United Conservative Party and sworn in as premier, her office asked for a briefing on the cases. Subsequent emails critiqued the prosecutors' assessment of the charges and pushed back on the characterizations of the protest.".No emails were ever found..In the new recording released by the Alberta NDP, Smith tells Pawlowski, "Can you just leave this with me and I will make that request one more time?"."I'm very sympathetic," Smith said on the recording in regard to his case.."It was a political decision that initiated this, but it can't be a political decision to end it. That's what I'm finding very frustrating.".Smith repeatedly mentioned Rob Anderson, the executive director of the Premier's Office in the recording.."Rob Anderson has been doing most of my work with justice in pushing this along," Smith said.."No one contacted Crown prosecutors, this was all reported earlier," Anderson told the Western Standard Wednesday.."She was referring to the minister of Justice. She misspoke. No one has ever contacted Crown prosecutors.".Anderson said the Crown prosecutor service repeatedly stated they have never been contacted by the premier's office or the premier.
