Former public school board candidate charged with election offences

A candidate in the 2017 Calgary Public School Trustee election has been charged under the Local Authorities Election Act following an investigation into whether she was legally eligible to run for office.

On Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, the Calgary Police Service Anti-Corruption Unit launched an investigation after a member of the public reported that they believed the candidate was not a Canadian citizen and therefore was not eligible to run.

Police investigated the complaint and have laid charges in relation to two documents filed before the election.

When a person wishes to run in a municipal or school board election, they are required to file certain documents. It is alleged that the candidate filed both a notice of intent to run and a nomination acceptance form, swearing or affirming she had read the eligibility requirements and was legally eligible to run.

Filing either of these documents when a candidate is not a citizen is an offence.

Nimra AMJAD, 32, of Calgary, is charged with both signing a candidate’s acceptance form that contains a false statement and making a false statement for a purpose related to an election.

AMJAD is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018.

No further charges are pending.