EDMONTON — Premier Alison Redford is defending a leaked email showing her government ignored its own tendering rules to fast-track thousands of dollars worth of signs advertising the fact that Redford is quote — “Building Alberta.”
Redford says following the June flood devastation, it was important to let people know that the government would be there for them to rebuild.
Transportation Minister Ric McIver, when asked why the government didn’t follow its own rules for tendering out work to put the signs up, says they didn’t want to wait on red tape.
The signs, each emblazoned with Redford’s name and title, are up across Alberta, announcing roads, bridges, schools and other infrastructure the government is paying for.
An email from a civil servant leaked to the Wildrose party quotes Redford’s political operations boss Darren Cunningham telling government ministers to get the signs out immediately and ignore the tendering process if necessary.
The opposition calls the signs wasteful political vanity advertising at taxpayers’ expense.