EDMONTON - Alberta's auditor general says former premier Alison Redford and her office used public resources inappropriately.
Merwan Saher concludes that they consistently failed to demonstrate that travel expenses were necessary and a reasonable and appropriate use of taxpayer money.
He says Redford used public assets, including government aircraft, for personal and partisan purposes.
"Overall, the expense practices and use of public assets by premier Redford and her office have fallen short of publicly stated goals," Saher wrote in a review of Redford's travel expenses and use of government aircraft released Thursday.
"How could this happen? The answer is the aura of power around premier Redford and her office and the perception that the influence of the office should not be questioned."
He lays the blame squarely on Redford and her staff.
"It would be wrong for anyone to extrapolate our findings and conclusions to the public service of Alberta as a whole."
Redford resigned as premier in March as a caucus revolt brewed over her leadership style and lavish spending.
She resigned her seat as a backbencher Wednesday and in a letter acknowledged mistakes were made during her time in office.
She said she would not be commenting further.
Alberta's justice minister says he has instructed that the auditor's report be sent to the RCMP.
Jonathan Denis says he has arranged for prosecutors from Ontario to work with the RCMP on a review of the former premier's expenses.
He says the use of out-of-province lawyers is needed to ensure an independent investigation and remove any perception of a conflict.
Saher's six recommendations include that the Treasury Board monitor the premier's expenses and the use of official aircraft. He also suggests the government should clarify its planes policy to ensure they are not used for partisan purposes and to make sure flights are cost effective.
Redford's replacement, Premier Dave Hancock, says the government accepts the auditor general's recommendations and "will take immediate action to implement them fully."
He also says the provincial PC party will reimburse the government for the cost of Redford flights that were taken for party purposes.
The auditor general says there was a practice of "block booking" government aircraft to give the appearance the plane was full "so that other passengers could not ride on the same flight."
After Redford resigned her seat Wednesday, Jim McCormick, president of the PC party in Alberta, said that it was her "own personal choices that led to her demise."
"She is alleged to have broken government rules, and taxpayer dollars were not treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. She has paid a personal and political price for her mistakes and we appreciate her decision to take responsibility for her actions," he wrote in a statement.
Redford has been under fire for her travel expenses for months.
It began with revelation last winter about a $45,000 trip to South Africa for Nelson Mandela's funeral. She eventually paid back the money for that trip, but only after weeks of pressure and her repeated declarations that she would not.
The criticism over her travel habits persisted even after she resigned as premier.
She admitted flying her daughter, Sarah, and the girl's friends around on a government aircraft, and reimbursed some expenses.
The auditor's report goes further, pointing out the girl sometimes flew on the plane even when Redford wasn't with her.
