MLAs mull investigation into previous Liberal government's Saint John bailout
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David Amos "If somebody breaks the law, they have to be taken to task," Steeves said
Yea Right Methinks my distant cousin should have read his emails before and after he go elected N'esy Pas?
Les Cooper Waste of money investigating. They will not be charged with anything. If they are held accountable then that would be a different story.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Les Cooper: YUP
David Amos
Reply to @Les Cooper: Methinks a better story would be why I was blocked for merely agreeing with you N'esy Pas?
Jef Cronkhite Sure. Waste hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on an investigation that will NEVER bear fruit! We have spent hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars over the years, investigating this, or probing that, and not ONCE have charges ever been laid, or even ONE politician sent to jail. STOP wasting MY money on these worthless "investigations". No one is ever going to answer for it. This is nothing but political posturing. They'll spend OUR money and ALL that will happen is that one side will look a little bit better, and the other a little bit worse. One week after the results are released, NOTHING will have changed, and everyone will have forgotten this and moved on to the next scandal.
David Amos
Reply to @Jef Cronkhite: I agree
Graeme Scott "A Liberal representative did not appear on the podcast." No big surprise there. When it comes to their past sins NB Liberals seem to want to pretend they've never heard of Shawn Graham or Brian Gallant. The new Liberal motto (courtesy of Sgt. Shultz) when it comes to the actions of previous Liberal governments seems to be "I know nothing!!"
Richard Dunn
Reply to @Graeme Scott: Agreed.....and the new Sargent Kevin Vickers seems to be missing in action. He needs to clean house in his party.....but seems afraid to. Gallant, Rogers, Melanson, Harris and more need to be shown the door.
Harold Benson
Reply to @Richard Dunn: And the Atcon 6 need to be dealt with.
David Amos
Reply to @Richard Dunn: Methinks everybody knows why Vickers is missing N'esy Pas?
Mark (Junkman) George "If somebody breaks the law, they have to be taken to task," Steeves said.
Who are you kidding? What about NB Hydro? Cannabis NB? A $37 million shipyard? The back room sweetheart tax deals? FFS don't limit yourself........... you'll likely have to build a new wing on the provincial jail for political prisoners.
David Amos Reply to @Mark (Junkman) George: Methinks you should check my work N'esy Pas?
Richard Dunn It needs to be investigated. It appears the AG is confident that Brian Gallant broke the law. Wouldn't Cathy Rogers be guilty too as she was Finance Minister and would have to sign off on the money?
David Amos
Reply to @Richard Dunn: YUP
Roy Kirk They guys that cut the cheque are blameworthy, but so are those who cashed it. It takes at least two to conspire to break the law.
David Amos
Reply to @Roy Kirk: YUP
Marguerite Deschamps Yet it is always stated on here that the south gets nothing eh?
Lou Bell
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Desperate vote buying , nothing less Marc uerite .
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks you and old Louie should get a room N'esy Pas?
Matt Steele The City of Saint John has been mismanaged and neglected for years , so no doubt they needed the money . Brian Gallant's Liberal govt. was in crisis mode , and was looking to buy votes in the greater Saint John area after FOUR YEARS OF NEGLECT ; so they gave the city a bail out in hopes of winning more support at the polls . An investigation would just be a waste of time and money as NO ONE in govt. is ever held accountable . It is what it is .
Josef Blow
Reply to @Matt Steele: No investigation needed? Sure, just rely on your gut instincts. Why investigate things or do research, indeed. TELL US MORE, please.
David Amos
Reply to @Matt Steele: Methinks you are wise to ignore Mr Blow just like you ignore me N'esy Pas?
John Valcourt There needs to not only be an investigation but it is also time to hold people accountable instead of just scolding them.
David Amos
Reply to @John Valcourt: Dream on
Donald Smith Cancel and Scrub the Bailout. Does anybody know if any of that Bailout Money possibly maybe went to their self appointed pay raises ???
David Amos
Reply to @Donald Smith: Of course
Ronald Parker So what if they investigate, no one will be held responsible.
David Amos
Reply to @Ronald Parker: Oh So True
MLAs mull investigation into previous Liberal government's Saint John bailout
Auditor general found Liberals circumvented law in committing to $22.8M package
CBC News·
Premier Brian Gallant and Saint John Mayor Don Darling pictured at Saint John city hall. The previous Liberal government's $22.8-million bailout package for the city was heavily criticized by the province's auditor general and opposition MLAs. (Rachel Cave/CBC)
New Brunswick's finance minister says it's worth considering further investigation into the previous Liberal government's $22.8-million bailout package for the City of Saint John.
Ernie Steeves, a Progressive Conservative minister, said he was "shocked" by findings in Auditor General Kim MacPherson's latest report, which stated the Brian Gallant-led government circumvented the law by not following the normal funding approval process.
"If somebody breaks the law, they have to be taken to task," Steeves said on the CBC New Brunswick Political Panel podcast.
Steeves said he didn't know which authority would conduct such an investigation, and there has not been a formal call to further probe the bailout package.
MacPherson's report, released June 11, said the previous government circumvented requirements within the Local Governance Act that discourage municipalities from having ongoing operating deficits.
The act lays out how a municipality is supposed to deal with deficits.
The three-year package, which was announced in September 2017 and will be honoured by the PC government, was meant to address Saint John's financial crisis — the city was forecasting a $6-million deficit at the time.
The Political Panel from CBC News New Brunswick
June 20: What’s the fallout from the auditor general’s report into the Saint John bailout package?
25:0427:47
The former Liberal government extended a $22.8-million bailout package to Saint John. Auditor General Kim MacPherson latest report says that represented “excessive risk” to taxpayers. PC Finance Minister Ernie Steeves, Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau and People’s Alliance Rick DeSaulniers debated the fallout from the AG’s report. 27:46
The report also concluded the Treasury Board at the time violated the Financial Administration Act by failing to get proper legislative approval to spend the money.
Support from other MLAs
Steeves's suggestion was supported to an extent by People's Alliance MLA Rick DeSaulniers and Green MLA Kevin Arseneau.
DeSaulniers said MacPherson thought it would best for government to pursue the matter further, and he suggested the responsibility should fall to government.
Auditor General Kim MacPherson said the Brian Gallant government circumvented the law in committing to the package. (Michel Corriveau/Radio-Canada)
The question should be asked in a cabinet meeting, he said.
Arseneau said the matter should be sent to the province's integrity commissioner first. "If there is a reason to investigate, then I think an investigation should be done," he said.
MacPherson said the bailout represented "excessive risk" to provincial taxpayers and, as of this April, "failed to effectively address the city's challenge" or reduce the financial risk to the province.
A Liberal representative did not appear on the podcast.
Gallant, Rogers, Melanson, Harris and more need to be shown the door.