Liberals shift blame for Ed Martin's severance

The Liberal government is shifting blame for a million dollar-plus severance package paid to Nalcor's departing CEO this year.

Ed Martin got a $1.3-million handshake when he left his job in April, the Crown corporation revealed this week.

• $1.3M severance for Ed Martin from Nalcor
• Ed Martin severance package `stinks of hypocrisy,` union head says

It's a cheque that raised a few eyebrows in a province seeing tough tax hikes, but the Liberal government says it had nothing to do with it.

"Ed Martin's severance was part of a contract that was approved by the previous administration in 2005, renewed again in 2009 by the previous administration and executed upon by the previous board," said Nancy O'Connor, a spokesperson for Premier Dwight Ball, in an email on Friday.

O'Connor said that Stan Marshall, who's taking over from Martin, will receive no severance pay when he leaves the job.

Marshall will be paid the same amount as Martin — about $700,000 yearly.