The Alberta NDP have launched a petition to allow Albertans to register their unhappiness with UCP Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan, who skipped out on being sworn in.
While 84 MLA were sworn in on June 19 and 20, Stephan was on vacation.
Alberta NDP Edmonton-Mill Woods MLA Christina Gray said Red Deer needs representation.
“Since he’s clearly not interested in listening to his constituents, we will be giving the people of Red Deer-South — and all Albertans for that matter — a chance to sign our petition and send a message to Stephan for failing to show up for work,” said Gray, in a statement.
“Other Albertans only get paid when they actually show up to work,” Gray added.
Stephan issued an explanation on Facebook for the pre-planned vacation Friday.
Stephan said that he and his wife are on a two-week trip to Africa, with his son and wife who were married in the spring. He said the trip was booked in March.
“Upon learning of a swearing in date conflict in June, arrangements were made for me to sworn in shortly upon my 2 week return in the first week of July. There is no impact on my responsibilities or my ability to serve,” Stephan wrote on Facebook, adding the trip was a return to Africa for his son, who served on a two-year mission there with their church.
“We have done nothing wrong… (the) NDP petition contains many lies. Their misrepresentations, and some in the media, are disappointing.”
The NDP says the petition, available at https://www.albertandp.ca/where-is-stephan, gives Albertans the opportunity to voice their unhappiness with Stephan, who also chose to abandon his constituents during the COVID-19 pandemic, travelling internationally after telling Albertans to stay home and cancel any Christmas plans.
“If Jason Stephan wasn’t interested in doing the job of MLA, he had months to take his name off the ballot,” Gray said. “Instead he chose to continue cashing his paycheque, while leaving the people of Red Deer-South with no representative, advocate, or support in the Legislature.