Calgary MP-elect under fire after doorbell cam footage circulates
Posted September 22, 2021 11:53 am.
Last Updated September 22, 2021 8:47 pm.
CALGARY – A newly-elected Calgary MP is under fire after door cam footage of him apparently taking a competitor’s flyer from someone’s house spread across social media.
The video appears to show Liberal George Chahal removing the flyer and replacing it with one of his own.
WATCH: Calgary Liberal MP-elect appears to remove campaign flyer from home (video provided by Glenn Pennett)
“All of the people who voted for George Chahal, all of those who outside the riding supported his candidacy, and who cheered the prospect of the liberal member of parliament representing Calgary in Ottawa, for all those people, this is certainly a disappointment,” said Mount Royal University Political scientist Lori Williams.
“It deflates their celebration considerably and could have longer-term consequences in terms of his effectiveness as a representative for Calgary. But again, much of that depends on what closer scrutiny reveals.”
RELATED: George Chahal wins seat for Liberals in northeast Calgary
Under the Canada Elections Act, no one is allowed to prevent the transmission of an election advertising message to the public without the consent of a person with the authority to authorize its transmission.
Chahal’s campaign manager, Randall Zalazar, confirms Chahal did take a flyer from a home but didn’t say who the flyer belonged to.
Zalazar says Chahal took the paper because it provided the incorrect voting station—something they reported to Elections Canada.
Williams says if true, that could be seen as a justification. But it’s one thing for a well-meaning volunteer to do it, another for Chahal.
“These are all questions that need to be investigated more fully and those answers will tell us a little bit more about what the outcome could be here.”
She says his suspected cabinet seat may now be in jeopardy.
Chahal is the only liberal to be elected in southern Alberta and he won his riding, Calgary Skyview, by about 3,300 votes Monday night.
