NDP asks conflict of interest commissioner to probe Boyd's role in GTH land deal scandal
If commissioner agrees to investigate, this would be his second probe of GTH issue
The provincial NDP has asked Saskatchewan's conflict of interest commissioner to launch an investigation into Bill Boyd's role in the Global Transportation Hub land deal scandal, on the heels of a ruling against Boyd on a different matter.
And CBC has confirmed that Ron Barclay received the request. He said he will decide whether to launch an investigation Thursday.
Boyd is retiring at the end of the month and at that point the commissioner loses jurisdiction. However, if the investigation is launched before that time, then it can proceed.
Earlier this week, commissioner Barclay found Boyd had breached the province's conflict of interest act. Boyd was promoting an immigration investment scheme to Chinese nationals. Barclay found Boyd falsely gave those potential investors the impression the project was supported by the government of Saskatchewan.
Premier Brad Wall booted Boyd from the Saskatchewan Party caucus as a result, and forwarded the matter to the Ministry of Justice.
Now the NDP wants Barclay to turn his attention to Boyd's role in the highly publicized GTH land deal scandal.
In a letter obtained by CBC, the interim leader of the NDP, Nicole Sarauer wrote, "there are reasonable grounds to believe that this member (Boyd) is in contravention of the Members' Conflict of Interest Act."
"I respectfully request that that you investigate the circumstances surrounding these transactions and provide an inquiry on any conflicts of interest or other breaches of the Act by the Member for Kindersley or other government members," Sarauer wrote.
CBC has asked Boyd for comment and is waiting for his reply.
NDP question's Boyd's relationship to Robert Tappauf
CBC broke the GTH land deal story on February 3, 2016.
- Businessmen made millions on Regina land that wound up in taxpayers' hands
- Sask. politicians call for review of puzzling land transactions uncovered in iTeam investigation
At its heart, the story is about how two politically well-connected businessmen made millions on a puzzling series of land transactions. That land eventually wound up in government hands after the government spent far more than the appraised value.
Boyd was involved in directing some of the transactions.
One of the businessmen who made millions was Robert Tappauf. His family rents thousands of acres of farmland to Boyd's farming operation.
Boyd has always insisted he is not in a conflict of interest related to this matter.
As CBC was preparing to break this story in early 2016, a government communications official wrote "we hope you are not implying or insinuating that Minister Boyd somehow used his influence or knowledge to assist Mr. Tappauf."
"This is categorically untrue and such an assertion would be defamatory if published or broadcast."
The official added "Minister Boyd has no knowledge of this transaction and was not aware that Robert Tappauf ever had any involvement with this parcel of land prior to your email yesterday."
After this story was published, Boyd issued the following statement.
"I have never met Robert Tappauf. At no time did I ever speak to Robert Tappauf about anything regarding the Global Transportation Hub or any land pertaining to that project."
In addition, in January 2016, as CBC was researching the GTH land deal story, Boyd asked the commissioner for his opinion on the matter. The commissioner considered facts provided to him by Boyd, as CBC has not yet published its story.
At that time, Barclay concluded Boyd was not in a conflict of interest.
After the story published, Boyd sued CBC for its reporting on the matter.
Since that time the provincial auditor has released a detailed report on the series of land transactions and CBC has published dozens of stories on various aspects of the scandal.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
