Advocate clears Liberals of voter fraud allegations after MLA complaint
Green MLA Kevin Arseneau raised concerns after grandmother with dementia was signed up to vote in Liberal race
A provincial watchdog says there's no evidence voter fraud occurred when a majority of residents at two Bathurst-area seniors' homes registered with the provincial Liberals in 2022.
Seniors' advocate Kelly Lamrock reported his finding in a written response to allegations made by Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau in the legislature last month.
Arseneau raised the issue, and filed a complaint with Lamrock's office, after he said his grandmother, who has dementia, was registered by the Liberal Party at Foyer Chez Annie.
Steven Sisk co-owns two homes in the Bathurst area. Arseneau said in the legislature that both of those homes saw the majority of residents register with the Liberal Party to vote in a leadership race.
The Kent North MLA questioned whether all who were registered had given consent and called it a "suspected case of fraud and abuse."
But Lamrock dismissed that allegation in a report sent to MLAs on Friday.
"There is no evidence of any wrongdoing, directly or indirectly, by any member of the legislative assembly or any leader or agent of any registered political party," he said.
"There is no evidence of any act which, in my understanding of the terms, constitutes fraud or abuse toward any senior or vulnerable adult."
Hannah Fulton Johnston, executive director of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, said in a statement that she is satisfied with the report.
"We are committed to ensuring that all party processes are conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency, and this report confirms that standard was upheld," she said.
Sisk told CBC News a supporter of Liberal leadership candidate Donald Arseneault asked him to invite residents to join the party ahead of its vote for a new leader.
"Everyone who was enrolled consented to it," Sisk said.
Declined to comment
Lamrock declined a request for comment. His report notes a response to the complaint was only made public because Arseneau raised it publicly.
"I understand [Arseneau's] suspicion when over 80 per cent of residents of a facility join the same party," he said in the report.
"I note that in the 2020 election, that same party took nearly two-thirds of the vote [in this riding], however, so it does not require too fanciful a leap of the imagination to see a plausibility that a large number of residents found at least one of four leadership candidates intriguing enough to register."
While the advocate cleared all parties of wrongdoing, he said there was a "lack of structure, policy and process" in how Sisk and Foyer Chez Annie "approached residents" about signing up.
Liberal
Leader Susan Holt approached Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau to ask for
evidence to back up his claim that her party committed voter fraud. (Jacques Poitras/CBC News)
He recommended long-term care homes have a clear policy for collecting and sharing resident information and that the Department of Social Development provide training to that end — a change Arseneau said he would welcome.
"I think that, morally, we have a duty to make sure that the process is in place, you know, [to] meet certain standards, and so on that point I'm pretty happy," he told reporters Wednesday.
"At the end of the day, I think Social Development should be taking a lead and writing up a policy in how different senior citizens' homes will be able to approach this. Best practices."
While the Department of Social Development said it would review the advocate's report, it has not said whether it will adopt that recommendation.
"Although the legislative framework for voting in nursing homes falls under the Elections Act, not the Nursing Homes Act, the department will be reviewing the report to see if any changes should be considered moving forward," said spokesperson Kate Wright.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Far to easy for politicians to make claims that then cost the taxpayer $ to investigate.
Perhaps a fine or being censured in the legislature would be in order.
David Amos
Reply to JOhn D Bond
Perhaps you may recall what a fine old bard once wrote "Perchance to Dream"
It's safe to say that Bathurst will vote Liberal this fall no matter if this happened or not.
Reply to Bobby Richards
And yes I realize this was for a leadership race.
Reply to Bobby Richards
Whats the scoop on Jake?
Reply to Matt Steele
Spoken just like the ones who support the Orange Man south of the border, no matter what.
Reply to Matt Steele
Mais Oui
Reply to Jos Allaire
Methinks you wish to forget all the years that Lamrock was a cabinet minister for you know who N'esy Pas?
Is Arseneau suggesting everyone in a nursing home should have their right to vote taken away?
Reply to Bobby Richards
What would happen to the Tories' voter lists then???
Reply to Bobby Richards
no, the freedom of choice without coercion
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Who cares? You know as well as I that Tories won't ever get elected in that riding
Reply to Bobby Richards
He is just bitter that the liberals did not want him years ago
Reply to David Amos
Reply to MR Cain
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Classic NB.
David Amos
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Its the Place to Be if you love a circus
He made this announcement weeks ago in FB
"I am proud to announce that I am one of ten young Parliamentarians from the International Francophonie selected to participate in the prestigious course "Diplomacy, Globalization and Francophonie" at Senghor University in Alexandria, Egypt.
I am humbly honored to be the only North American congressman selected to participate in this prestigious course and the first Acadian and New Brunswickian to be selected. I look forward to acquiring new complex problem solving and negotiation skills, and then applying these skills to my work as an MP and Parliamentarian to solve the complex problems of our time, such as the fight against climate change, confidence in our democratic institutions, nation relations at Nation with Indigenous Peoples and the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence.
I have always valued and encouraged Lifelong Learning and this is a rare opportunity for MPs to gain valuable skills, discuss important global issues that have local repercussions here in North Kent and New Brunswick and network with other MPs from All over the planet.
The course will be held from May 26 to June 14. As a selected candidate, the costs of training, accommodation, meals and internal travel will be covered by the program, while the flights will be covered by The Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie."