The founder of the political advocacy group Take Back Alberta is pledging to escalate his legal confrontation with the province's elections watchdog, framing it as a prolonged battle over charter rights. This comes as David Parker prepares to face a contempt of court charge for unpaid fines totaling more than $110,000 levied against him and his organization.
Substantial Fines for Election Rule Violations
In early 2023, Elections Alberta imposed significant penalties on Take Back Alberta (TBA) and its founder. The group itself was fined $112,500 for violations related to election advertising rules during the period preceding the May 2023 provincial election. Parker was personally assessed an additional $7,500 in fines after being ruled on two occasions to have knowingly submitted false statements in a financial report.
The penalties stem from TBA's activities, which included both online initiatives and in-person town hall events. Parker and TBA have appealed these fines, which have subsequently been handed over to Crown debt collection for enforcement after remaining unpaid.
Parker's Defiant Stance and Legal Strategy
In a recent interview, David Parker was unequivocal about his refusal to pay the fines, dismissing the enforcement actions as "lawfare." He indicated that the province has placed a $7,500 lien on his home in an attempt to collect the debt, a move he downplayed.
"I'm not paying the fines until I get a court ruling, and I'm probably not paying them after that because I'll just appeal it to a higher court," Parker stated. He characterized the core issue as a "paperwork filing issue" that Elections Alberta is attempting to escalate. "I welcome their escalation, and we'll use it to further damage them," he added.
Planned Class-Action and Charter Challenge
Looking beyond the current contempt charge, Parker outlined an aggressive legal counter-offensive. He revealed plans to launch a class-action lawsuit against Elections Alberta and the provincial government once the immediate charges are addressed.
His argument centers on a potential Charter of Rights and Freedoms challenge. Parker contends that if the law is interpreted as prohibiting or regulating the assembly of people for political discussion, it could violate freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and freedom of association. He claims to have retained lawyers with experience in winning "hundreds" of similar cases.
When questioned about his long-term strategy, Parker described the conflict in stark terms: "It's an endless war until my enemies are defeated."
Background on Take Back Alberta's Status
Take Back Alberta is a registered third-party advertiser in the province. This status permits the group to support or oppose political parties and candidates but mandates that it provide detailed financial reports to Elections Alberta. The agency has stated that TBA has failed to fulfill these reporting obligations in recent years.
Elections Alberta has declined to comment on the ongoing matter, noting it is currently before the courts. The agency typically does not publicize details of its investigations, though court documents obtained last year included a comprehensive 68-page report on the probe into TBA's activities.
