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News Release |
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Tories block investigation in "Cablegate" November 15, 2006
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Eddie Joyce, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and MHA for the District of Bay of Islands, says he is extremely frustrated with the Progressive Conservative (PC) Members of the PAC as they rejected a request to call in the Auditor General and hold public hearings into the recently signed fibre-optic deal. The PAC has the authority to hold public hearings and subpoena individuals to appear before the committee for questioning. This would allow members of the PAC to directly question people involved with the file and receive pertinent documentation related to the issue. The PAC also has the authority to request the Auditor General to review a file and examine documentation, however, he does not have the authority to subpoena individuals to testify regarding this issue. The motion presented this afternoon called for public hearings and the Auditor General to investigate the fibre-optic deal. AI am disappointed that the PC Members of the PAC have refused our request to have all information related to the fibre-optic deal made public,@ said Mr. Joyce. AIf there is nothing to hide and the expenditure of $15 million of public funds to friends and business associates of the premier is clean as a whistle, I cannot understand why PC members are so sensitive to releasing this information. Gauging the reaction at this afternoon=s meeting, it certainly appears that PC members are nervous about what might come out through public hearings. AThere are many questions that need to be answered. I feel the time has come to call all affected parties before the committee to hear their testimony on this issue. Having public hearings and asking the Auditor General to review all of the information would have presented all sides of the story and the people of the province could then make up their own minds. The premier stated last night that he had no problem with releasing this information for scrutiny, I cannot understand why his colleagues refused to support his stand. AUnfortunately, with the refusal of the PC members to allow public hearings and invite the Auditor General to investigate, the deal smells even worse and the truth is even more elusive.@
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