Hay River MLA will investigate corruption

IQALUIT Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen says her constituents have asked her to conduct an investigation into widespread rumours of corruption within the upper ranks of the territorial government.

“They are concerned about the many rumours that have been going around about this government,” Groenewegen said this week.

She said that at a public constituency meeting in Hay River Nov. 13, many Hay River residents expressed deep concerns about the ethical conduct of the GNWT.

Groenewegen said constituents referred to an investigation by the RCMP commerical crime squad, the uproar over the GNWT’s Keewatin resupply proposal, and other matters relating to the activities of certain highly-placed GNWT officials.

“I said I would look into it,” Groenewegen said, saying that after she’s finished her work, she’ll seek a legal opinion, and then decide on further action.

When asked if she is thinking about making a formal conflict of interest complaint under the terms of the conflict of interest section of the Executive Council Act, Groenewegen said that’s a decision she’ll make only after her own work is done and she’s recieved a legal opinion.

But she said that never before has she heard so many complaints about corruption in the GNWT.

“Either the GNWT has a serious corruption problem or they have a serious communication problem,” Groenewegen said.

She also said that she, along with other MLAs, are likely to ask questions about those issues at a one-day session scheduled for Dec. 2, and when the Assembly resumes at the end of January next year.

“I think it’ll be interesting,” Groenewegen said.