Peace River MLA Dan Williams is explaining why he voted against a motion from an NDP MLA.
Williams was one of six MLAs on the Member’s Services Committee who voted down Thomas Dang’s motion.
The motion states:
“That the Special Standing Committee on Members’ Services:
- request that the Chair sent a letter to the Member for Lesser Slave Lake requesting him to work with the Legislative Assembly Office administration to identify and rectify any inconsistencies relating to claims under the Members’ Allowance Order that may have been submitted in error, and inviting the member to appear before the committee to explain how these errors were made, and
- establish a Sub Committee to review this matter for the purpose of providing, within 60 days, recommendations to the Committee on how Members can ensure that these type of errors can be avoided in the future.
The Trending 55 Newsroom asked Williams why he voted against the motion and his office sent the following statement.
“Speaker Cooper has already spoken with MLA Rehn and directed him to repay claims that were made in error, which MLA Rehn has agreed to. The Speaker has been clear that no further action is required, given that MLA Rehn has agreed to repay the erroneous expenses. MLAs are accountable to first and foremost their constituents and the UCP has already taken action against MLA Rehn by removing him from our caucus for failing to be present and work with the community of Lesser Slave Lake. Furthermore, the role the Special Standing Committee on Member’s Services is not to review the expenses of MLAs”.
Dang’s motion was defeated by a vote of 6-4.
– Kenny Trenton, Trending 55 Newsroom
