Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner delivers the 2024 provincial budget in Edmonton, on Feb. 29. Horner says Sam Mraiche, the founder of MHCare Medical, invited him to watch from a suite during the first and third round of the NHL playoffs at Rogers Place.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press
Alberta’s Finance Minister twice accepted tickets to watch the Edmonton Oilers from a luxury suite during this spring’s playoff run, and said while he believes the province’s recently relaxed ethics rules are adequate, he is open to adjusting them to improve transparency.
Nate Horner, at an unrelated press conference Thursday, said Sam Mraiche, the founder of MHCare Medical, invited him to watch from a suite during the first and third round of the NHL playoffs at Rogers Place. MHCare was involved in the province’s troubled $75-million deal to import children’s pain-relief medicine from Turkey.
Mr. Horner’s disclosure, delivered after questioning from reporters, means four cabinet ministers and Premier Danielle Smith have confirmed they accepted pricey hockey tickets from organizations with ties to the government. Mr. Horner refused to reveal which ministers and political staff joined him in Mr. Mraiche’s suites.
When asked why the government keeps information about gifts under wraps despite ruling them acceptable, Mr. Horner indicated a willingness to revise the rules in favour of proactive disclosure.
“It is a conversation that I guess we’re having here. If there’s more changes that need to be made, I’m sure they’ll take that into consideration,” Mr. Horner told reporters.
The Globe and Mail in July first reported Ms. Smith and others in her government attended multiple Oilers games after the UCP, late last year, rolled out changes to the Alberta Conflicts of Interest Act to ease the ethical standards governing the acceptance of gifts. Under the new rules, the Premier’s chief of staff signs off on costly gifts, such as hockey or concert tickets, for political employees and they do not have to be released publicly. The changes also made it easier for MLAs to accept gifts, with delayed public disclosure.
Ms. Smith, at a press conference July 22, said she and her chief of staff each wrote a letter to the ethics commissioner asking for advice interpreting the Conflicts of Interest Act. Her office has not acknowledged repeated requests to release the letters.
Ian Greene, a professor emeritus at York University who wrote two books on governments and ethics, said Alberta went too far when it eased rules governing conflicts of interest.
“It looks really bad,” said Mr. Greene, who worked for a cabinet minister in Alberta when Peter Lougheed was premier. “The Premier, the cabinet ministers, staffers, shouldn’t be getting any special privileges that aren’t open to other people.”
Mr. Horner echoed Ms. Smith’s defence when discussing the tickets Thursday.
“It was all within the rules,” he said.
The Finance Minister’s disclosure adds to the growing list of United Conservative Party politicians who have confirmed they accepted Oilers tickets. Joseph Schow, on July 22, told The Globe and Mail and another reporter he attended Oilers games, but refused to say who provided tickets.
“I’m the Minister of Tourism and Sport,” he said. “I got invited by lots of friends and stakeholders. So I’m not going to go into detail about that.”
Mr. Schow, when asked whether complying with Alberta’s legal standard meant he was free of conflicts of interest, said: “I followed the rules.”
Ms. Smith, at a press conference that same day, confirmed she attended two games in Edmonton and one in Vancouver. She said she was not among MHCare’s guests. Ms. Smith has confirmed an Invest Alberta board member provided her and two staff members with tickets to the Vancouver game. Mr. Mraiche watched the game from the same suite, according to newswire photos.
The Premier told Postmedia that Explore Edmonton, the local tourism agency, and the Oilers provided her with tickets in Alberta’s capital. Explore Edmonton confirmed it hosted Ms. Smith in its loge seating when the Oilers beat the Dallas Stars to win the Western Conference on June 2.
Mike Ellis, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, at a July 3 party tied to the Calgary Stampede told The Globe he attended a playoff game. When questioned at a press conference on July 23, he confirmed he went to one game and said the Oilers played host.
Tim Shipton, the executive vice-president of communications for the Oilers, has not responded to multiple inquiries seeking confirmation that his organization provided tickets.
Nathan Neudorf, Alberta’s Minister of Affordability and Utilities, first confirmed Mr. Mraiche invited him to a game. Mr. Mraiche has not returned multiple messages asking for comment. The Premier declined a recent interview request, and her office has not acknowledged repeated messages seeking comment.