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UCP accuses Premier Notley of breaking rules with event at Lethbridge hospital

Feb 25, 2019 | 8:24 AM

LETHBRIDGE- A spokeswoman for Premier Rachel Notley appeared to acknowledge the poor optics of a weekend appearance Notley made at a hospital, which the Opposition says broke rules prohibiting political activity at health facilities.

Cheryl Oates posted on Twitter on Sunday that while Saturday’s event was in a public area of the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge, the premier’s office will ensure future campaign events are not done at Alberta Health Services facilities.

A picture Notley posted on Twitter of the event showed her standing at a podium with the message “Rachel Notley, fighting for you” on it, with health-care workers standing behind her.

United Conservative House Leader Jason Nixon said in a news release that Notley’s NDP government and AHS should be investigated by the province’s ethics commissioner for what he called a “partisan campaign event.”

AHS policy states that elected officials may access their facilities for the purpose of carrying out their duties, provided they don’t engage in political activity.

The health agency tweeted Sunday that the Notley event was not organized by AHS, and that participants were not representing the agency.