A Manitoba MLA says the provincial authorities is attempting to silence his questioning of a high-ranking bureaucrat he has accused of interfering within the awarding of a serious provincial contract.
NDP MLA Adrien Sala revealed late Wednesday within the legislature he is the topic of a proper grievance beneath the province’s respectful workforce coverage.
He known as it an unprecedented try to attempt to intimidate an elected official and expose the identities of any whistleblowers.
Sala mentioned a lawyer requested him to disclose all data and analysis pertaining to the NDP’s allegation that Paul Beauregard, secretary of the Treasury Board, interfered within the awarding of a knowledge community contract.
He is additionally been advised to disclose his discussions with the unbiased auditor basic’s workplace, in addition to with any journalists, and to signal a non-disclosure settlement.
“These calls for have been made all in secret and Mr. Beauregard demanded these details be saved secret beneath menace of sanction to me,” Sala mentioned within the chamber late Wednesday, following query interval.
Former telecom head accused of meddling
“This course of has moved from an inquiry to an inquisition,” he mentioned.
Sala has beforehand alleged that Beauregard prevented Manitoba Hydro Worldwide from bidding on a contract to offer networking providers to numerous authorities places of work throughout Manitoba.
The unique 10-year, $120-million contract was signed in 2010 with Manitoba Telecom Providers (MTS). When it expired, an extension was awarded to Bell MTS (the corporate created after Bell acquired MTS) with out going to tender, the NDP mentioned.
Beauregard as soon as served as an govt at Bell MTS.
The NDP requested the auditor basic in September to research the alleged battle of curiosity.
Minister of Crown Providers Jeff Wharton has beforehand known as the NDP’s allegation baseless. He mentioned the extension of the community settlement was urgently wanted to handle the connectivity necessities stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, Sala mentioned the actions of the attorneys, and Beauregard himself, are an act of intimidation. Sala mentioned they’re attempting to undermine his freedom to query the actions of presidency in query interval.
MLAs have what’s known as parliamentary privilege whereas within the Manitoba Legislature, which protects elected officers from authorized penalties when elevating points. (John Woods/The Canadian Press)
Contained in the chamber, MLAs are granted parliamentary privilege, which quantities to the power to lift issues with out the worry of authorized penalties. If a member goes too far, the Speaker would ask the MLA to withdraw the remark.
Sala accused the federal government of attempting to benefit from its respectful office coverage, which is supposed to guard civil servants from harassment and bullying.
“This has been an try on the a part of high-ranking officers of the Pallister authorities to cease me from doing my job,” Sala mentioned.
“I really feel I have to get up and communicate up as a result of it represents an assault on a very powerful capacity of an MLA: to talk reality to energy and to ask questions on this chamber.”
The problem was raised in query interval a number of occasions this fall, prompting fiery exchanges between Sala and Premier Brian Pallister.
‘Maliciously defaming’ Beauregard: Pallister
In late October, Pallister accused the NDP of “maliciously defaming” Beauregard.
Authorities Home Chief Kelvin Goertzen responded to Sala’s deal with late Wednesday, which was raised as a matter of privilege — a proper grievance within the legislature.
Goertzen mentioned whereas MLAs have the suitable to criticize one another within the chamber, generally harshly, that privilege is not prolonged to civil servants.
“Whether or not the member would possibly argue that he has some form of privilege granted to him on this Home to slag or someway in any other case drag a civil servant, a public servant, by way of the mud due to that privilege … I do not suppose it passes the take a look at of what we must always raise ourselves as much as.”
The premier’s workplace mentioned it would not touch upon Sala’s grievance till Speaker of the Home Myrna Driedger makes her ruling.
