REGINA - The opposition New Democrats are demanding changes to toughen the Conflict of Interest rules in the province.
The call comes in the wake of the recent struggles by the NDP to hold former Regina Northeast MLA Gary Grewal accountable after he was found in violation of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act regarding his hotel properties in Regina.
The Conflict of Interest Commissioner had left it to the legislature to craft an appropriate penalty, but attempted motions by the NDP to haul Grewal before the legislature to address questions on the issue were shut down by the Sask Party majority last week.
Now, it appears there is very little that can be done by the Legislature to impose a penalty on Grewal after all.
At a news conference at the Legislature Monday morning, the NDP’s Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway told reporters they had consulted their legal counsel about bringing forward a penalty of $50,000 against Grewal - a number that would be in line with the maximums of other provinces.
But the word they got back was that the current wording of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act prevents a penalty against a former member of the Legislative Assembly, which is the current situation for Grewal who did not seek re-election.
“With the law as it currently stands, the Sask. Party is basically saying that MLAs can break the law, line their pockets with public money so long as they don’t run again. No fine, no punishment, you just get to sail away into the sunset having profiteered $730,000. It’s ridiculous, and it is with that in mind that we come before you today to demand the Sask Party government work with us to strengthen the Act immediately to ensure we don’t let the next Gary Grewal off the hook.”
Conway characterized Grewal as having “profiteered” more than $731,000 in public money by hiking rates of Social Services clients at his hotels in Regina. Yet Grewal was “going to walk away without so much as a slap on his wrist,” she said. Even a maximum penalty of $50,000 “does seem like a drop in the bucket,” Conway told reporters.
Conway also blasted Premier Scott Moe for telling reporters last week there was “no precedent” for penalizing a former MLA.
She called it “incredibly disappointing to see the Premier run interference for a former Sask Party MLA who is still getting a transitional salary, who did misconduct while he was a Sask Party, ignoring misconduct that happened under his watch. Show me the precedents for a government MLA who profiteered three-quarters of a million illegitimately.”
Jacqueline Roy, who replaced Grewal as the new MLA for Regina Northeast, said she was joining the call for stronger members’ conflict of interest legislation.
“Obviously he gamed the system and his constituents suffered. I’ve heard from so many people who want closure and who want a proper penalty brought against this man who I might add is still receiving an MLA transitional allowance. I just can’t believe I have to tell them no penalty can be brought, that Gary Grewal will walk away free with their money.”
She said the Sask Party needed to do the right thing, otherwise they could only assume it was “the same old group dead set on more corruption, waste and mismanagement.”
Premier Moe says it's time to modernize the Act
During Question Period in the Legislature Monday, Premier Scott Moe was asked by Conway if he would “commit to fixing this obvious loophole in the Act so that MLAs can be rightly held accountable even after they leave office.”
In response, Moe was vague on that particular point, but he did indicate that perhaps it was time to take another look at the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act.
“That Act was brought in in 1993. It's likely time to have a look at the Act, Mr. Speaker,” Moe said.
“When you look at what has happened since 1993, I think the very first cell phone in this province was about 1988 or 1989, Mr. Speaker. It didn't have access to the Internet like what we see on our cell phones here today. You see what has happened with Internet access, with social media, all of the above, Mr. Speaker. It's likely time to have a look at that Act, Mr. Speaker.”
Moe said that he “will be asking, and have asked the Minister of Justice to do over the course of the next year, is to have a look at our Conflict of Interest legislation, Mr. Speaker, with an eye to updating the Act to what would be needed by today's standards.”
