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PoliticsProvincial7TuesdayJuly232013ByMEAGANWOHLBERGWesternArcticMPDen-nisBevingtonisworriedAboriginalsignatoriestothedevolutiondealwillbegettingmorethantheysignedupforiftheNWTdevolutionimplementationactsettogothroughtheHouseofCommonsthisfallgetslumpedintoan-otheromnibusbill.TheMPsaidhefearstheHarpergovernmentisgoingtofollowitsrecenttrendofpushingforthregulatorychangesbyincludingamend-mentstotheMackenzieVal-leyResourceManagementActMVRMAinthesamebillastheonetoinitiatethetransferoflandswaterandresourcestotheterritorialgovernment.Idontwantthattohap-pen.IdontthinkthatsfairtothepeoplethatwentintothedevolutionagreementpeopleliketheTlichowhoagreedtothedevolutiondealbecauseithadsomeseparationfromtheMackenzieValleyRe-sourceManagementAct.IthinkitsinappropriateBevingtonsaid.ProposedamendmentstotheMVRMAincludetheamalgamationoftheterritorysreviewboardssetupundervariousre-gionallandclaimsintoonesuperboard-acon-troversialmoveopposedbyseveralFirstNationgovernments.ThoughBevingtonsaidtherehasbeennoindicationtheConservativesareplan-ninganotheromnibusbillhesaidhiseffortstowarnDeneleadersatrecentas-semblymeetingsinInuvikwerepreemptiveandbasedonrecenthistoryoffederallegislationbeingpassedinclumpsratherthansepa-ratebills.ThecontroversialbudgetimplementationbillsC-38andC-45alongwiththere-centgroupingoftheNWTSurfaceRightsBoardactwithchangestoNunavutregulationareindicationsanotheromnibuscouldbecomingdownthepipeBev-ingtonsaid.Iwantedtoputthatoutsopeoplecouldbeforewarnedandperhapsforearmedandalsoindi-catetothegovernmentthatthatisnottheappropriatecourseofactionhesaid.Idratherbeaheadofthegamethistimeandiftheydontdoitthengreat.ButthatswhyImthrowingitoutthere.Thedevolutionimplemen-tationbillwilllikelybeintro-ducedintheHouseofCom-monsthisOctober.MPworriesdevolutiontobelumpedinomnibusbillPoliticsDevolutionByRENEFRANCOEURAlbertaMLAMikeAllenhasresignedfromtheprovin-cialgovernmentcaucusafterhewasarrestedinconnec-tionwithaprostitutionstinginMinnesotalastMonday.The51year-oldrepresen-tativeforFortMcMurray-WoodBuffalowasattend-ingalegislativeconferenceinSt.PaulMinn.whenhewasarrestedbypoliceforallegedlysolicitingapros-titutewhoturnedouttobeanundercoverofcer.Hehasbeenchargedwithonecountofhiringoragreeingtohireaprostituteinapublicplaceagrossmisdemeanor.Thechargecarriesamaxi-mumsentenceofoneyearinprisonanda3000ne.AllengavenoticehewasquittingthePCcaucusonJuly16whenheewbacktoEdmontonbutremainsanindependentMLAforthenorthernAlbertaregion.ImmediatelyfollowingnewsofthearrestAlbertasofcialoppositioncalledforAllensresignation.Albertansexpecttheirelectedofcialstofollowahigherethicalstandardofbe-haviourandtoobeythelawbothofwhichMr.AllenfailedtodoWildroseOfcialOp-positionLeaderDanielleSmithsaidinapressrelease.ForanMLAtobehaveinthisman-nerwhiletravellingabroadongovernmentbusinessisunac-ceptableandheowesittothepeopleofFortMcMurrayandallAlbertanstoimmediatelyresign.SmithssentimentswereechoedbyWildrosehouseleaderRobAnderson.Mr.AllenhasbrokenthetrustofFortMcMurrayvoters.HepromisedtorepresentthemwithintegrityandhonourandthepeopleelectedhimonthatbasisAndersonsaidinthesamerelease.ThefactthathehasbeenarrestedinaforeigncountrywhilerepresentinghisprovinceandcommunityandhasconrmedthathedidindeeddowhathehadbeenaccusedofitisonlypropertoallowtheresidentsofFortMc-Murraytohavetheopportunitytoselectanewrepresentativewhowillupholdthedignityoftheofce.AllenreleasedhisownmediastatementlateronJuly16apologizingtofriendsfam-ilyhisconstituentsstaffandallAlbertans.Imadethismistakeasaresultofaprofoundlapseinmypersonaljudgement.ItisamistakeforwhichtherearenoexcusesandforwhichIac-ceptfullresponsibilityhesaid.Thisisadeeplyembarrass-ingmomentandallIcansayisthatIamsorryandIhumblyaskforforgiveness.IwillworklongandhardtoregainthetrustofthemanyIhaveletdown.AllenpreviouslyservedasaFortMcMurraycitycouncillorfortwotermsandisapastFortMcMurraychamberofcom-mercepresident.HecouldnotbereachedforcommentathisMcMurrayof-ceasofpresstime.MLAchargedinconnectionwithprostitutionstingFortMcMurray-WoodBuffalorepMikeAllenquitscaucusThisisadeeplyembarrassingmomentandallIcansayisthatIamsorryandIhumblyaskforforgiveness.IwillworklongandhardtoregainthetrustofthemanyIhaveletdown.MikeAllenFortMcMurray-WoodBuffaloMLAPhotocourtesyoftheLegislativeAssemblyofAlbertaFortMcMurray-WoodBuffaloMLAMikeAllenWhatstheSCOOPDoyouhaveanideaforastoryorotherinformationtosharewiththenewspaperCALLUS867872-3000