Pact of trust is broken: Allen must step down

One of the jobs I did as a volunteer director of a local non-profit was to help re-write our constitution and bylaws. It's one of those tasks boards need to do periodically, to keep their associations relevant with their mandate in a changing society.

Amid all the discussion involved with that, came the pronouncement of the expectation that if any member of the board of directors were charged with a crime, that member must step down until the matter is settled.

The board may hold the position open during that time (depending on circumstances), but the understanding was made clear: once you're charged, you cannot sit on the board, you cannot represent your constituency to the agency, nor can you represent the agency to your community.

The trust relationship between charities and the communities they serve is sacred. When you are constantly asking for money and volunteer support, even suspicion of bad ethics raises an unacceptable cloud.

That being the case for community non-profits, Mike Allen, MLA for Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo must step down. Trust is trust, and in his case, trust has been broken.

This has nothing to do with Allen's ability to understand and represent his northern Alberta constituency. It has everything to do with accountability, trust and personal integrity.

From all reports, Mike Allen is a capable, respectful and honest MLA. Except for that hugely ironic lapse in judgement.

According to police in Minnesota, Allen contacted a sex trade worker, travelled to a hotel room, negotiated for a fun-filled threesome for one hour and was undressing, when the police broke in. The “prostitute” was an undercover officer. Busted. Now, charged.

Here's irony for you. Allen won his seat following the ouster of his once-popular predecessor, Guy Boutilier, who was also an honest, capable and accountable Tory MLA. 

Boutilier believed in accountability so much, that when the government reneged on a long-standing promise to improve long-term care services for seniors in his riding, he spoke up.

Governments love the notion of accountability. When a sitting MLA criticizes the party publicly, he is held fully accountable.

The voters in Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo would not support their once-popular mayor, MLA and provincial cabinet member as an Independent. They opted in the next election for Tory Mike Allen.

Now, Allen finds himself expelled from the Progressive Conservative Party. Does his straight-up apology and request for forgiveness from voters qualify him, ethically, to continue representing Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo, where Boutilier was somehow not qualified?

If so, what would that say about the voters in Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo?

I think we can surmise the answer. Outside of membership in Club Tory, how could anyone represent the riding and region that provides more economic activity for the country than any other region in Canada? No one can, not unless Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo, plus all of Alberta, plus the rest of Canada all decide in unison to change governments.

In Alberta, working the sex trade is not a crime. But communicating for the purposes of paying for a sex act is. That's in Alberta.

I doubt police plan that many sex-trade sting operations in Alberta, much less one that might snag a visiting politician.

It's also reasonable to believe that police in any number of U.S. states do engage in sting operations surrounding prostitution, for a variety of reasons, which includes the publicity that comes from publicly shaming customers.

Just think what Mike Allen must be going through. Think about what, in his life, has been shattered.

Think also about what Mike Allen thus far believes has not been shattered. The trust arrangement between himself and voters, and his credibility in assisting conversations between government and the international corporations that produce all that economic activity in Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo.

It just won't wash. Mike Allen isn't former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, the famous “Client Number 9” caught in a prostitution scandal. Nor is he an Anthony Weiner, the U.S. congressman who resigned after emailing lewd pictures of himself to women, and who is now seeking to become mayor of New York.

Allen is only 51. A bit early to retire. And as a first-time MLA, the pension package will hardly be liveable.

He says he's going to consult his local community and come back with an announcement concerning his political career by Oct. 28, when the Legislature is called for the Fall Session.

Then again, he could be in a U.S. jail by Oct. 28, which would obviate any consultations.

I think Mike Allen, even now, understands the concept of personal honour. We won't be seeing much of him in the future.

So it's time for the voters of Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo to consider if Guy Boutelier is good enough now to represent them as a Wildrose MLA . He has joined the party and said in hindsight that being expelled from the Tories was “the best thing that ever happened to me in my political career.”

Or, if only a Tory can represent Ft. McMurray-Wood Buffalo.

I just know that if I were ever caught with my pants down, I wouldn't be able to speak for people who need some community support to get through their lives.

Allen shouldn't make us demand the same standard for MLAs.