PC leader blasts Liberal minister for silence on allegations against ride-sharing proponent
Redsea Riding owner could have passed government regulations with active charges
Newfoundland and Labrador PC Leader Tony Wakeham is calling out Digital Government and Service N.L. Minister Sarah Stoodley for not doing interviews on her department's decision to issue the province's first ride-hailing licence to a man accused of sexual crimes involving minors.
Stoodley's department said Friday the licence had been awarded to Redsea Riding and planned a news conference for the same day, but then cancelled it.
On Tuesday, the department said the licence had been suspended. VOCM News reported it had asked the provincial government a day earlier about the charges — including sexual assault and sexual interference — against the company's owner. Nobody has been available for an interview to take questions on how the charges could have been missed.
"If it hadn't been picked up by the media, would we have known about it?" Wakeham said Thursday. "Clearly the minister needs to be held accountable and should be standing where I am right now, talking to you about what happened."
CBC News requested an interview with Stoodley on Wednesday. The request was denied.
Krista Dalton, a spokesperson for Digital Government and Service N.L., sent a statement Tuesday saying the application met the department's requirements when it was submitted. She said new information came to the department on Friday, and they cancelled a planned news conference.
"It was a total disaster," Wakeham said. "I mean, how does somebody who was an alleged sex offender get an application or get a licence to do a ride-sharing? How did that even happen?"
Owner could have passed criminal background check — if needed
One possible explanation is that the government's regulations on ride-hailing companies don't require the owners of the companies to submit criminal record checks.
The regulations state drivers must submit criminal record checks to their employers, and the employers must provide proof to the province that all drivers have been checked. There is nothing to state that a company's owner or CEO have to submit similar documentation about themselves.
It's not clear if the owner of Redsea Riding also intended to be a driver. Attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.
What government needs is to do due diligence.- Tony Wakeham
If he did apply to be a driver, however, he would have passed the provincial government's regulations since he hasn't been convicted of the charges against him.
The province only requires drivers submit a criminal record check, not a vulnerable sector check. While a criminal record check will return only criminal convictions, a vulnerable sector check will reveal more information, including outstanding warrants, unresolved court cases and pardoned convictions.
Wakeham says the situation has shown there are holes in the province's regulations.
"When somebody is applying for a new service like that, that involves the public and vulnerable populations … then what government needs is to do due diligence," Wakeham said.
"It needs to make sure that it's simply not rushing to make another announcement, but is rather investigating and making sure that all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted, for lack of a better word. But that's exactly what should have happened, not simply to rely on just the screening of the drivers."
Wakeham said he's worried the situation will cause the public to lose trust in the ride-hailing system before it ever begins in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The province is currently assessing another application from a local company called Kabby. Uber has yet to submit an application but told CBC News it plans to enter the province before the 2024 tourism season.
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With files from Mike Moore