N.S. MLA won't be punished for breach

Nova Scotia's NDP caucus has decided not to discipline one of its MLAs after he released confidential information about the cost of a proposed convention centre for Halifax.

Earlier this week, The Coast — a weekly newspaper — revealed that Howard Epstein had provided a figure of $160 million for the cost of the new convention centre.

Halifax taxpayers would be billed $57 million, the province another $57 million and the federal government would provide $46 million.

Epstein — the MLA for Halifax Chebucto — got the information as part of a presentation at a caucus meeting last week.

On Wednesday, Epstein said what happened was not a leak, but rather an inadvertent slip during a long interview with a reporter for The Coast.

"The number that we had been given in caucus just came out of my mouth and that's what happened," he said. "No more, no less."

The breach angered his colleagues.

"I think what is said in caucus really should stay in caucus," said Pam Birdsall, the Lunenburg MLA.

No one has confirmed or disputed the numbers Epstein provided.

Epstein, first elected in 1998, fielded questions from his colleagues during a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, then waited outside the meeting for about 45 minutes while they debated his future in the caucus.

"I pointed out to them that I regretted having done it, but it was inadvertent. I pointed out that it's really for the minister to release figures but I did it inadvertently."

He said he apologized.

Premier Darrell Dexter emerged from the meeting and said that Epstein had expressed "deep sorrow" to his colleagues.

"He went further than he should have gone in commenting on the information that he had. It's not like he's the only one who's ever made that kind of mistake," Dexter said.

"The caucus is willing to accept that."

The premier would not confirm the figures Epstein released. He said the cabinet was trying to "pare down" the numbers and was still waiting on technical information before making a decision about the project.

The NDP has been slow to back the planned development on Argyle Street, which will include a convention centre, hotel complex and office tower.