The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is asking why Jim Prentice's expense records were destroyed from his time as federal cabinet minister.
The watchdog group made a freedom of information request earlier this year, asking for the Alberta PC leadership hopeful's expense records during his time with the ministry of aboriginal affairs and northern development.
However, CTF director Derek Fildebrandt said he was advised that the request could not be filled because all records, receipts and supporting documents had been destroyed, reports the Calgary Herald.
Such financial information is supposed to go to the archives.
“We wanted to see if he was putting his money where his mouth is. And we can no longer prove that,” Fildebrandt told CBC News.
Prentice denies he had anything to do with the destruction of records, and told the Calgary Herald to suggest otherwise is "completely ridiculous."
"When I was a federal minister, I strictly followed all of the rules," Prentice told Sun News on Monday. "All of my expenses were filed on a regular basis, on a monthly basis and I've been completely transparent about all of those expenses."
Fildebrandt points to recent behaviour by Alberta politicians as one reason having Prentice's expense records is important.
"After the way Alberta's top cabinet ministers have behaved over the last two years, we don't just take their word for it anymore. The CTF has a simple demand of politicians: 'show me the money'," he said in an interview with the Calgary Sun.
Airdrie Wildrose MLA Rob Anderson told the Calgary Herald it's as if the expense claims "were just magically shredded just in time for him to run for premier," something Anderson describes as "slightly disconcerting."
Fildebrant is calling for the government to put all expense records online, reports CBC News, and he told the Herald he plans to file a complaint with the federal privacy commissioner.
Prentice told CBC News if he's elected leader of the PC party, he would fight to have Alberta ministers' receipts archived for as long as possible.
The leadership vote will take place in September.
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