Mandryk: MLAs’ beneficiant battle of curiosity guidelines turning into troubling Categorical Occasions

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Nevertheless troubling the allegations of Regina Northwest MLA Gary Grewal’s battle of curiosity could also be, they may not even be the most important conflict-of-interest concern in Saskatchewan’s authorities.

In fact, we don’t but know the way troubling these allegations are.

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The Saskatchewan Social gathering authorities has been exceedingly stingy when involves particulars that really may contradict the NDP narrative that Grewal’s Dawn Motel has been overcharging social companies clientele.

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We do now know the federal government shelled out $172,000 to the Dawn Motel in 2022.

This might translate into about two and half purchasers each single day at Grewal’s motel … presuming they have been all being charged across the premium $200 per night time fee charged to Evelyn Harper after the motel came upon the Social Companies ministry was footing her invoice. (Up to now, the federal government says it has no report of what number of social companies purchasers have been positioned there, and Grewal continues to be absent from the legislature after a loss of life within the household.)

We additionally now know the $172,000 was a part of a whopping $2.25 million shelled out by social companies in 2022 for emergency social companies purchasers.

Sadly, we don’t know which accommodations charged what to what number of purchasers, as a result of requests by the Chief-Publish and different media for such fundamental info have gone unanswered. In some way, this has been deemed “confidential,” however that taxpayers are footing the invoice and particular non-public companies are benefitting.

This price warrants additional investigation — one thing the federal government appears reluctant to do, however one thing that Social Companies Minister Gene Makowsky mentioned the Provincial Auditor’s workplace is nonetheless now starting beneath its personal initiative.

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Sadly, a spokesperson for the auditor’s workplace says we’re unlikely to see investigation outcomes till the December 2024 report — properly after the subsequent common election.

This must be regarding to voters, however getting a faster, thorough accounting is definitely within the pursuits of the Sask. Social gathering, as properly. These are severe, doubtlessly reputation-damaging allegations of 1 its members that may be unfair.

As a backbench MLA, Grewal (and, paradoxically, Makowsky) has been among the many few to indicate up at Satisfaction Parades lately. Grewal was additionally one of many few Sask. Social gathering MLAs to indicate up on the homeless encampment this summer season. Once more, we simply don’t know.

However what may very well be much more unfair to Grewal is that he’s now singled out for his alleged potential battle of curiosity when the true and far greater drawback could also be wholly insufficient battle of curiosity legal guidelines.

The one purpose we find out about Grewal’s alleged battle is as a result of an elected official is required to publicly declare property. It’s good that we’ve got this disclosure, but it surely isn’t doing a lot to stop conflicts.

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Our legislation doesn’t request a lot past easy disclosure.

On the municipal degree, mayors and councillors are obligated to excuse themselves from votes when enterprise pursuits doubtlessly conflict with public spending. (In fact, this isn’t at all times efficient, as we at the moment are rediscovering in Regina, the place there at the moment are allegations that councillors have been asking REAL for leisure tickets and even jobs. However no less than a requirement exists.)

On the Marble Palace, you don’t see MLAs excusing themselves from finances votes the place public spending may profit their non-public pursuits.

There’s loads of these, when you think about the variety of farmers who profit from a myriad of farm tax exemptions … though a battle is normally deemed one thing much less occupationally generic and extra particular.

Equally woeful are the foundations that allow MLAs and ministers — after a far-too-brief interval out of workplace — to change into authorities lobbyists or take profitable board appointments from firms who might have lobbied them for legislation adjustments or different favours.

But it surely appears unlikely we will deal with these extra nebulous battle points after we couldn’t even see to get our heads across the International Transportation Hub (GTH) fiasco, the place buddies of the Sask. Social gathering and enterprise acquaintances of then-minister Invoice Boyd made tens of millions on land flipping.

Whether or not or not there’s conflict-of-interest points with Grewal, it’s unlikely he’s been the one one.

Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Chief-Publish and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

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