Provincial auditor quizzed by MLAs on GTH land deal report
Judy Ferguson appeared before legislature's public accounts committee
The $21-million Global Transportation Hub land deal was once again a topic of discussion at the Saskatchewan Legislature on Tuesday, with a much-anticipated appearance by the provincial auditor.
Judy Ferguson, who has said the government paid too much for the GTH land, was answering questions from the standing committee of public accounts.
The NDP has been repeatedly asking the government questions about the deal involving land purchases on the western edge of Regina, in particular about a mysterious phone call where someone allegedly asked former minister of the economy Bill Boyd if he wanted to buy hundreds of acres of land.
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Premier Brad Wall and current Minister of the Economy Jeremy Harrison have flatly denied any improprieties, referring to Ferguson's report on the deal and a press release from her that said there was no fraud, conflict of interest or wrongdoing.
Sask. Party votes against adding witnesses
The GTH debate has been featured in question period for the past two weeks, with the NDP calling the deal a scandal and the Saskatchewan Party insisting it's no such thing.
Rapidly on Tuesday morning, there were divisions on the committee along party lines.
NDP member Cathy Sproule began by moving that the witness list should be expanded to include the deputy minister of the economy, and past and present CEOs of the GTH.
However, Saskatchewan Party members voted against that idea and Sproule's motion was defeated.