UCP Premier Danielle Smith (The Canadian Press)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Condemns Smith's conflict of interest

Red Deer’s Jim Foster, former Progressive Conservative Attorney General, endorses NDP

May 23, 2023 | 4:15 PM

Jim Foster, former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister from Red Deer, has endorsed the Alberta NDP in the upcoming election.

Foster, Attorney General for the Peter Lougheed government and former Justice of the Court of King’s Bench, shared his endorsement on Tuesday for Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley and Red Deer-South candidate Michelle Baer.

“I am honoured and humbled to have the support of Jim Foster, who served our province so skillfully and ably as MLA, Minister under Premier Peter Lougheed, and Judge on the Court of King’s Bench,” said Notley.

“I have been touched by the number of Progressive Conservatives reaching out to offer support and lend us their votes throughout this campaign. It shows that our campaign is connecting with Albertans of all backgrounds who won’t support Danielle Smith’s chaotic leadership and extreme positions.”

“I am honoured to have Jim Foster as a supporter and a friend, and excited to have his endorsement for my campaign,” said Michelle Baer, Alberta NDP candidate for Red Deer-South.

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Foster served in the Alberta Legislature from 1971 to 1979; during his time, he served in the Cabinet of Premier Peter Lougheed as Minister of Advanced Education from 1971 to 1975 and then as Minister of Justice and Attorney General from 1975 to 1979.

In 1991, Foster was appointed to the Alberta Court of King’s Bench based in Red Deer, serving until 2012.

“As a long-time conservative who sat in a caucus and cabinet led by Peter Lougheed, I am happy to be casting my vote for the Alberta NDP for the first time,” said Foster. “Rachel Notley and Michelle Baer are people of integrity who will serve Albertans and the community of Red Deer. I, like many Albertans, am concerned with what I see from Danielle Smith and the UCP and know that the best way to build a better future for Alberta is to elect Rachel Notley as Premier.”

Foster also raised concerns about the findings of the Ethics Commissioner’s report on Danielle Smith, which found that she broke the Conflicts of Interest Act.

“If you applied the criminal code lens to her actions, it raises the serious prospect that the Premier may have broken the law by attempting to pressure the Attorney General over the prosecution of Artur Pawlowski. The Attorney General should have resigned after this call with the Premier occurred. An independent investigation to protect our democracy and independent justice system should be considered,” said Foster.