Around 80 people gathered in Edmonton to demonstrate against Elections Alberta opening an investigation into the activities and financial filings of Take Back Alberta (TBA). “They were not expecting the people of this province to rise up, and we rose up in such numbers that we stopped their plan,” said TBA founder David Parker at the Friday event. “We stopped the NDP from taking power.”.The protest saw people demonstrate in front of Elections Alberta. They held signs with messages such as “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this” and “Elections Alberta sold out to the NDP.” They set up a speaker’s area where people blasted Elections Alberta for its corruption. While the protest went on for a while, Parker and his lawyer Leighton Grey walked into the building soon after he finished his speech to do an interview. About 10 counterprotestors stood on the sidewalk across the street from Elections Alberta to condemn TBA. Counterprotestors held signs with messages such as “Take Back Alberta from Bigotry” and “Truly Bad Actors.” They shouted comments such as “F*ck off fascists” and “Enjoy your subpoena.” As they stood around, they conversed among themselves about their hatred for TBA..Parker said he organized this protest to demonstrate against what he views as corruption in Elections Alberta. At the moment, he said it has “become rampant and it needs to be addressed.” While the investigation was sudden, he acknowledged he knew it was coming, adding this is because the bureaucrats tend to spend their time investigating those who support the Alberta United Conservative Party and not the NDP. Protestor Roger Verret said Parker was right to comply with the Elections Alberta subpoena. “He has to go and tell them what he was doing,” said Verret. “There was nothing evil that he was doing.” However, some unions have set up a website to identify Alberta UCP donors. Verret called for Elections Alberta to investigate the unions for setting up this website. Public unions and labour groups were the largest spenders in the last Alberta election, according to a November report conducted by Elections Alberta’s chief electoral officer. READ MORE: Alberta Elections report shows unions biggest political advertisers in 2022Third party advertisers of all stripes spent about $3.5 million in 2022, including $2.98 million from political third party advertisers that are limited to spending outside election periods.Of third party advertisers, 73% of about $438,000 of contributions came from trade unions. When it came to these contributions, $320,000 was from the Alberta Federation of Labour and $116,958 was attributed to the National Police Federation..Counterprotestor Chris Berthelot called TBA “a bigoted, transphobic group of people who constantly talk about how the world is going to end and throw you in gulags.” “They platform very offensive, very bigoted, very backwards people who push things without evidence,” said Berthelot. “And frankly, I don’t respect people who decide to target other human beings, trans human beings, gay human beings, for their identity.” In its activities, Berthelot said it targets people. While it says it is about freedom, he alleged it is about restricting it for certain people. Counterprotestor Andrea Charette said her son is transgender and was offended when she saw a meme Parker posted about transgender people. “Specifically, I couldn’t deal with it,” said Charette. “We need to do something.” By investigating him, Charette said it is a good idea. She added he should not be withholding TBA’s donor list. Elections Alberta opened an investigation into the activities and financial filings of TBA in November. READ MORE: Elections Alberta initiates investigation into Take Back AlbertaThroughout 2023, it had received multiple complaints about its activities and finances.Some of these allegations include an affiliation between it and the UCP, engaging in activities supporting the work of politicians, and accepting contributions in a manner not complying with campaign finance laws. DISCLOSURE: David Parker is a minority shareholder in the Western Standard.
Around 80 people gathered in Edmonton to demonstrate against Elections Alberta opening an investigation into the activities and financial filings of Take Back Alberta (TBA). “They were not expecting the people of this province to rise up, and we rose up in such numbers that we stopped their plan,” said TBA founder David Parker at the Friday event. “We stopped the NDP from taking power.”.The protest saw people demonstrate in front of Elections Alberta. They held signs with messages such as “Perhaps you were born for such a time as this” and “Elections Alberta sold out to the NDP.” They set up a speaker’s area where people blasted Elections Alberta for its corruption. While the protest went on for a while, Parker and his lawyer Leighton Grey walked into the building soon after he finished his speech to do an interview. About 10 counterprotestors stood on the sidewalk across the street from Elections Alberta to condemn TBA. Counterprotestors held signs with messages such as “Take Back Alberta from Bigotry” and “Truly Bad Actors.” They shouted comments such as “F*ck off fascists” and “Enjoy your subpoena.” As they stood around, they conversed among themselves about their hatred for TBA..Parker said he organized this protest to demonstrate against what he views as corruption in Elections Alberta. At the moment, he said it has “become rampant and it needs to be addressed.” While the investigation was sudden, he acknowledged he knew it was coming, adding this is because the bureaucrats tend to spend their time investigating those who support the Alberta United Conservative Party and not the NDP. Protestor Roger Verret said Parker was right to comply with the Elections Alberta subpoena. “He has to go and tell them what he was doing,” said Verret. “There was nothing evil that he was doing.” However, some unions have set up a website to identify Alberta UCP donors. Verret called for Elections Alberta to investigate the unions for setting up this website. Public unions and labour groups were the largest spenders in the last Alberta election, according to a November report conducted by Elections Alberta’s chief electoral officer. READ MORE: Alberta Elections report shows unions biggest political advertisers in 2022Third party advertisers of all stripes spent about $3.5 million in 2022, including $2.98 million from political third party advertisers that are limited to spending outside election periods.Of third party advertisers, 73% of about $438,000 of contributions came from trade unions. When it came to these contributions, $320,000 was from the Alberta Federation of Labour and $116,958 was attributed to the National Police Federation..Counterprotestor Chris Berthelot called TBA “a bigoted, transphobic group of people who constantly talk about how the world is going to end and throw you in gulags.” “They platform very offensive, very bigoted, very backwards people who push things without evidence,” said Berthelot. “And frankly, I don’t respect people who decide to target other human beings, trans human beings, gay human beings, for their identity.” In its activities, Berthelot said it targets people. While it says it is about freedom, he alleged it is about restricting it for certain people. Counterprotestor Andrea Charette said her son is transgender and was offended when she saw a meme Parker posted about transgender people. “Specifically, I couldn’t deal with it,” said Charette. “We need to do something.” By investigating him, Charette said it is a good idea. She added he should not be withholding TBA’s donor list. Elections Alberta opened an investigation into the activities and financial filings of TBA in November. READ MORE: Elections Alberta initiates investigation into Take Back AlbertaThroughout 2023, it had received multiple complaints about its activities and finances.Some of these allegations include an affiliation between it and the UCP, engaging in activities supporting the work of politicians, and accepting contributions in a manner not complying with campaign finance laws. DISCLOSURE: David Parker is a minority shareholder in the Western Standard.
