Alberta NDP dismisses Wildrose allegations about 'secret' office

The Wildrose is alleging the NDP is operating a taxpayer-funded, secret office in northeast Calgary to support campaign efforts in theCalgary-Greenwaybyelection.

The office doesn't appear to be open to the public and it's unclear what work is happening inside, said Jason Nixon, the accountability critic for theWildrose.

Two people work in the office: Robert Scobel, manager of outreach services, and Leslie Cramer, an outreach officer.

They are listed as legislative assembly employees on an internal government directory. Scobelis a former NDP candidate; Cramer worked for Lead Now, an advocacy organization.

"Given the fact these two appear to have no contact with the general public I am left to assume that they are a hyper-political, secret wing of the government that is attempting to win the NDP the Calgary Greenway byelection," Nixonsaid.

When he asked about the office during a recent meeting of the legislature's all-party members services committee, Nixonsaid NDP MLAs wouldn't acknowledge it existed.

Deputy Premier Sarah Hoffman denies the NDP is operating a secret campaign office using taxpayer funds and accused the Wildrose of making up scandals.

She saidthe office has no connection to the Calgary-Greenway beylection. Scobel and Cramer are employed by the NDP caucus to work with constituents and NDP MLAs in Calgary, she said.

She saidthe office is listed on the NDP caucus website and there's asign outside.

"This office was something that was in progress, it opened a few months ago," she said. "It'ssomething that we're really proud to have and we think that it's important to have outreach in Calgary and to have people supporting the MLAs doing that work."

Premier Rachel Notley has outreach staff at the McDougall Centre. Hoffman says it would beinappropriate to have caucus staff working at a government office.

The Calgary office will be permanent. The government plans to releaseinformation on how much the office costs.