Liberals stymie call for PNP names

Liberals sitting on P.E.I.'s public accounts committee have voted down an effort by the opposition to reveal the names of more MLAs involved in the provincial nominee program.

The provincial nominee program matched up potential immigrants to invest in P.E.I. businesses, as part of the deal that would get them their Canadian visas. The immigrants put up $200,000 each.

Testifying before the committee Tuesday, Auditor General Colin Younker revealed that 15 former and current MLAs had businesses involved with the program from when it was launched in 2001 to when it was virtually shut down in September 2008.

Of those 15, four received units prior to being elected, and one was rejected. Committee chair and Progressive Conservative MLA Jim Bagnall wanted the other 10 names. Liberals on the committee objected to the idea, and moved to stop it.

"You find that being open and accountable?" Bagnall asked during the debate on the motion.

"I can't believe that you people on this committee would."

At that point Liberal MLA Rob Vessey interjected, and attempted to move directly to a vote.

"Question," he called. "Enough of this politics."

But Bagnall continued.

"I can't believe you would actually go to politics when you had a chance to find out what took place and you want to sweep it under the carpet," he said.

Some names already known

Liberal members of the committee then voted down having the 10 names revealed.

Some of those names are already known: former Progressive Conservative MLA David McKenna, and sitting Liberal MLAs Pat Murphy, Bush Dumville and Robert Mitchell. The names of two other sitting MLAs said to have received immigrant investment for their companies are not known.

Bagnall has previously suggested that cabinet ministers may have accessed PNP investments. Their business interests are held in blind trusts, open only to the conflict of interest commissioner.

Following that vote the committee began examining where the investment money went. Of the half-billion dollars raised through PNP, only $120 million was actually invested in companies. The largest portion, $144 million, went to seven intermediaries and their agents who helped match investors to companies.