Chronicle Herald: NDP blocks bid to force disclosure of documents
Thursday, June 10th, 2010Opposition steaming after committee delays move until fall legislation
Opposition MLAs ran into an NDP brick wall Wednesday in their attempts to force the government to turn over documents to the auditor general and have a committee hear from Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. officials.
Tory Cecil Clarke even walked out of the public accounts committee meeting before it was over.
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Liberal Keith Colwell asked the committee to subpoena documents the government withheld from auditor general Jacques Lapointe in his recent audit of taxpayers’ financial assistance to businesses, if the government didn’t hand them over immediately.
“I don’t know what they’re trying to hide,” Colwell said.
The NDP used its majority on the committee to shoot down the request.
New Democrat MLA Leonard Preyra said the government will bring legislation this fall that will allow Lapointe to see the documents while ensuring they stay confidential. Lapointe has said there’s no concern about confidentiality and he should be able to see the information.
Colwell also asked the committee to invite Premier Darrell Dexter to appear to answer questions on the access issue, but Preyra and the NDP dismissed the request as political grandstanding.
The opposition MLAs were also frustrated by another delay in hearing from Nova Scotia Gaming Corp. officials.
The gaming corporation was scheduled to appear next week but the New Democrats have bumped them in favour of Environment Department officials.
Preyra said the committee had agreed to make hearing from departments in Lapointe’s most recent report a priority. Lapointe included a chapter on contaminated sites.
Liberal MLA Diana Whalen, the committee chairwoman, said the committee previously agreed to have her write a letter to gaming corporation CEO Marie Mullally urging her to appear.
Mullally was scheduled to be at the April 14th meeting, but couldn’t attend because of an Atlantic Lottery Corp. board meeting, said corporation spokeswoman Robyn McIsaac.
Delaying Mullally’s appearance after she had written her is “silly and embarrassing,” Whalen said.
She said she agreed with Clarke’s suggestion to have two sessions next week, one with the Environment officials and one with Mullally.
Clarke accused the Dexter government of directing NDP backbenchers on the committee to overturn a previous compromise on agenda-setting.
“What’s the point of this committee even meeting if you won’t even respect the work of the committee?” Clarke said.
The Tories issued a news release late Wednesday afternoon saying they’ll boycott all committee meetings until the NDP “stop these undemocratic measures that have created a veil of secrecy within government.”
Preyra insisted the NDP wants the committee to hear from Mullally but it can be done later, perhaps around the time the province’s new gaming strategy is released in the fall.
After Clarke walked out, Colwell moved adjournment, so the committee couldn’t work on an agenda for September.
Whalen said the current dysfunction amounts to a “crisis in terms of this committee, and this committee is an essential element for good oversight and accountability.”
Premier Darrell Dexter said he’s open to meeting with the other party leaders to discuss their concerns.