Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, front second left, and B.C. Premier David Eby, front second right, watch the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers play Game 2 of the teams' second-round playoff series, in Vancouver, on May 10.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press
Alberta cabinet ministers and government officials attended Stanley Cup playoff games in Edmonton as guests of a man whose company was involved in importing children’s medicine from Turkey, while the Premier and her staff attended a separate game in Vancouver with tickets provided by a director of a provincial Crown corporation, according to sources and attendees who spoke with The Globe and Mail.
The government changed the ethics rules late last year to make it easier for politicians and their staff to accept gifts and tickets.
Premier Danielle Smith attended a private box to watch an Edmonton Oilers playoff game in Vancouver and invited B.C. Premier David Eby to join her. A source said an Invest Alberta board member gave Ms. Smith and her office the tickets. The Globe is not identifying the source because they were not authorized to disclose that information.
Ms. Smith’s office did not respond to multiple requests for comment about any of the hockey games.
Nathan Neudorf, Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities, said in an interview that he attended an Oilers playoff game in Edmonton as a guest of local businessman Sam Mraiche. His company, MHCare Medical, was involved in Alberta’s deal, announced in late 2022, to import children’s pain medication during a shortage.
Mr. Neudorf said Mr. Mraiche offered him a seat in his box multiple times, but the minister declined, except for one game against the Canucks. Mr. Neudorf said he received clearance from the Ethics Commissioner before joining colleagues, who included other ministers and government officials, in the suite. He declined to name them.
“I don’t need to hide anything,” Mr. Neudorf said. “I have no problem telling the truth.”
A government source who was at a different game said Mr. Mraiche’s box was a hot spot during intermission, with ministers and top political staff socializing with others who were either in Mr. Mraiche’s suite or those belonging to other corporations. The Globe agreed not to name the source because they said they feared retribution.
The United Conservative Party government passed legislation last year to make it easier for politicians and staff to accept fees, gifts, benefits, tickets and invitations. A document published on the Ethics Commissioner’s website notes that acceptable event tickets must be part of a member’s “social obligations” but does not offer a definition and says it would depend on the context. The legislation requires MLAs to disclose such tickets in certain circumstances, and also empowers the premier’s chief of staff, who is currently Marshall Smith, to determine what was acceptable for political employees.
Ms. Smith appeared on Alberta podcaster Ryan Jespersen’s Real Talk show on Nov. 1 and said she declined an invitation to the Heritage Classic outdoor hockey game in October because the Ethics Commissioner told her she could only stay in a suite for 20 minutes. The UCP introduced changes to the Conflicts of Interest Act on Nov. 9.
MHCare Medical is a medical supply and distribution company that was involved in the province’s importation of children’s pain medicine from Turkey, according to documents obtained through a freedom of information request. Only 30 per cent of the drugs, which were manufactured by Atabay Pharmaceuticals arrived and a fraction of those were used.
Mr. Mraiche did not return messages seeking comment.
The Premier travelled to Vancouver to watch a game in a box using tickets provided by the Invest Alberta director. Ms. Smith, on May 10, posted a photo on social media of herself in a box with British Columbia Premier David Eby and Vancouver mayor Ken Sim. The Oilers played the Canucks.
“Premier Danielle Smith attended a hockey game on personal time. None of her expenses were paid for by the Government of Alberta,” Sam Blackett, her spokesman, said in a statement May 13. “Premier Smith travelled with two staff, both paid their own expenses. The hockey tickets were provided by a private citizen. All rules under the Alberta Conflicts of Interest Act were followed.”
A source said Edmonton’s Sam Jaber and his accounting and tax firm, Jaberson & Associates, gave the Premier the tickets. Mr. Jaber sits on the board of Invest Alberta, a Crown corporation designed to promote, identify, and pursue investments in the province. He did not respond to messages seeking comment.
Mr. Blackett did not respond to questions, sent July 17, about Mr. Jaber.
Jimmy Smith, a spokesman for Mr. Eby, said Alberta’s Premier invited B.C.’s Premier to the game in Vancouver. Mr. Eby attended with his wife, son, and two staff members, the May 23 statement said.
“Premier Smith’s office also invited a family from B.C. who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to attend so they could enjoy the experience,” the statement said. “Premier Smith and Premier Eby had friendly conversations throughout the game and had a brief informal conversation on shared priorities during intermission.”
The Globe approached the Alberta Premier’s communication’s director, Becca Polak, at a corporate Calgary Stampede party on July 4 and asked about hockey tickets; she requested The Globe send her an e-mail for more information. Neither she nor Mr. Smith, the chief of staff, acknowledged receipt of four e-mails asking who provided hockey tickets to government officials throughout the year, who attended which games, or whether guests paid for any tickets or travel themselves.
The company owned by Mr. Mraiche, the Edmonton businessman, also provided a ticket to his suite during the 2022-23 Stanley Cup playoffs to the Alberta Premier’s chief of staff, who gave it to former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole. Mr. O’Toole disclosed the ticket under federal ethics rules.
“I was offered the ticket in the box of MHCare Medical by Alberta’s Premier’s Chief of Staff,” Mr. O’Toole disclosed to the federal ethics commissioner, according to Politico’s Ottawa Playbook dated June 15, 2023.
The document is no longer available because Mr. O’Toole is no longer a member of Parliament. He did not respond to an e-mail seeking a copy of the form.