Tyler Shandro resumes legislation society tribunal listening to

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Weeks after dropping reelection by simply two dozen votes, former United Conservative Occasion frontbencher Tyler Shandro tried and did not have Alberta’s authorized regulator throw out a collection {of professional} misconduct complaints towards him.

The Legislation Society of Alberta resumed a tribunal listening to for Shandro Monday, weighing whether or not the previous justice minister introduced the authorized occupation into disrepute in his interactions with 4 members of the general public throughout his stint as well being minister.

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Shandro is accused of breaching the Authorized Occupation Act on three events in February and March 2020, shortly after the federal government terminated its grasp settlement with the Alberta Medical Affiliation. The hearings, that are happening over video calls, started in January and adopted after a collection of delays.

When proceedings resumed Monday, Shandro’s lawyer Grant Stapon introduced a movement claiming to the legislation society has no jurisdiction to listen to the complaints. To this point, the proof has proven no “nexus” between the complaints and Shandro’s follow of legislation, Stapon claimed.

“That is the truth is a continuing introduced for a collateral or improper function,” he advised the tribunal.

Tribunal chairman Bud Melnyk declined to listen to the movement, saying it might be handled in closing arguments.

“Jurisdiction is established by the truth that Mr. Shandro is a lawyer,” he stated.

Memes, tweets and telephone calls

Legislation society attorneys say Shandro breached skilled requirements when he confronted a health care provider crucial of UCP coverage exterior the doctor’s house, contacted two docs who criticized him at an announcement, and emailed a member of the general public who messaged his spouse’s firm.

Ken McEwan, the Vancouver lawyer arguing the case for the legislation society, spent a lot of Monday cross-examining Shandro, portray an image of a quick-tempered minister who used the powers of his workplace to confront those that disagreed with him.

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Shandro rejected this characterization. He stated that whereas he was upset by what he noticed as a coordinated harassment marketing campaign towards himself and his spouse Andrea Shandro, he performed himself correctly. He claimed in all 4 interactions he was respectfully engaged with constituents and stakeholders and acted to guard his family members.

Tyler Shandro claims he and his spouse have been the targets of “misinformation” unfold by members of the AMA upset over the termination of the grasp settlement. At problem was the couple’s stake in Important Companions Inc. — a third-party health-care advantages brokerage co-founded by Andrea Shandro.

Tyler Shandro stated a “conspiracy idea” was developed that he and Important Companions have been coordinating to introduce “American-style” health-care insurance coverage in Alberta.

The very best-profile of the 4 incidents started when Shandro noticed a meme about Important Companions posted by his neighbor, Dr. Mukarram Zaidi. Shandro stated his spouse was disturbed concerning the alleged harassment, so he walked to Zaidi’s house and spoke to him.

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Zaidi claims Shandro loudly charged him in his driveway and advised him to take the meme down. Shandro, nonetheless, stated he calmly advised Zaidi that Andrea Shandro — who later walked over — was getting demise threats from individuals egged on by comparable memes. He denied ever telling Zaidi to delete the put up.

Whether or not Zaidi did delete the memes was at problem for a lot of Monday’s listening to. Whereas Zaidi earlier advised the tribunal he determined to delete the offending posts, Stapon entered as proof a second Zaidi-linked Twitter account which continued to put up crucial memes of Tyler Shandro via late 2020. Stapon stated the existence of the tweets — which he had Shandro learn into the file — impacts the physician’s credibility and suggests a political motive for his criticism.

Shandro additionally confronted questions on his interactions with Dr. John Julian-Gudgeon and Dr. Lauralee Dukeshire. Shandro stated he sought contact data for the physicians after they confronted him at an occasion in Purple Deer. He stated he wished to deal with their considerations, however the docs later claimed they felt intimidated being referred to as by the minister on their private numbers.

Dukeshire, for her half, stated she spoke to Shandro for round quarter-hour and advised him to renew negotiations with the AMA. She additionally recalled Shandro claiming somebody from AMA had sexually harassed his employees.

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Shandro denied ever making the declare.

“The remark to me appeared weird,” he stated Monday, saying he was conscious of no such claims from any of his former workers.

‘We won’t overlook’

Shandro confronted extra questions on an e mail he despatched to Janice Fraser. Fraser, a Calgary resident, messaged Important Companions claiming Andrea Shandro was in a battle of curiosity. Fraser examined she was”petrified” when she acquired a reply from Tyler Shandro on his ministerial account threatening to contain protecting companies.

Shandro knew Fraser from political circles and stated he felt her declare that “we won’t overlook” the Important Companions problem might be thought of a risk. He denied he “lashed out” at her, noting he invited Fraser to direct any considerations to his workplace.

Fraser stated “we won’t overlook” merely referred to the 2023 provincial election in Calgary-Acadia, which Shandro misplaced to the NDP’s Diana Batten by 25 votes.

Shandro is anticipated to name three extra witnesses. The listening to is about to proceed via Wednesday, after which the panel will possible reserve judgment.

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Editor’s observe: This story has modified to make clear Dukeshire’s recollections.

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