REGINA - After Gary Grewal was found to breach two counts of the Members Conflict of Interest Act, candidates of the New Democrats slammed the former MLA and called his scheme “classic profiteering.”
Outside the Sunrise Motel, one of the two hotels Grewal had interest in, NDP candidates Jacqueline Roy, Sally Housser and Meara Conway expressed their displeasure with Grewal and the Saskatchewan Party.
Grewal breached Section 15 of the Act, which prohibits businesses from being connected to members participating in government contracts. Grewal held interest in the Sunrise Motel and Thriftlodge located in Regina, where he gained profits by using government contracts to place more clients at said motels and overcharge them.
Conway spoke about the Sask Party’s intent to hide the issues from the public and how former Minister of Social Services Gene Makowsky paid over $700,000 of taxpayer dollars towards the two motels bills rather than speak up about the matter.
She called the whole scandal “very troubling,” considering Saskatchewan residents struggle to afford housing.
The penalty Grewal will face for violating the Act is up to the Legislative Assembly, and the NDP said the people of Saskatchewan should have a say on their opinions regarding the conduct.
To avoid these issues in the future, the NDP believes simplifying lobbying laws will make understanding ongoing lobbying activities more clear.
Back in May, the NDP introduced five bills to clean up politics. The first bill is Bill 617, The Members’ Conflict of Interest Amendment Act, where politicians must disclose any business interests of family members that are held in holding companies or private companies.
Conway noted that MLAs should hold themselves to a higher standard and show the people they represent that there are no issues in the legislature.
She also pointed out the donations the Sask Party has relied on from out-of-province corporations regarding campaign donations.
While the NDP do not have an exact number of the donations the Sask Party receives, it is likely in the millions. Their party wants to remove out-of-province donations under the proposed Bill 619, The Election (Fairness and Accountability) Amendment Act. The Act would also limit donations from Saskatchewan residents to a maximum of $1,275.
Ultimately, the NDP believes the election will decide how Saskatchewan people feel about the wrongdoings of the Sask Party.
