Manitoba Tories call for Steve Ashton to resign over Tiger Dam purchases
CBC News | Posted: June 23, 2015 10:19 PM | Last Updated: June 23, 2015
Premier defends beleaguered infrastructure minister
Manitoba's Progressive Conservative Leader Brian Pallister said embattled NDP Infrastructure Minister Steve Ashton should be forced to resign over a conflict of interest in the purchase of flood protection equipment.
A whistleblower alleged Ashton's department committed to giving a $5-million untendered contract to a distributor that has contributed to his electoral campaigns in previous years.
The accusation was that Ashton tried to push through the deal last year for International Flood Control Corp. of Calgary to supply Tiger Dams to the Interlake Reserves Tribal Council.
The Treasury Board balked at approving the deal and the contract has yet to be awarded.
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But the opposition leader said the minister's questionable spending decisions involving his friends and flood fighting date back six years.
Pallister said between 2009 and 2014, $8.7 million of the more than $12 million dollars the Manitoba government purchased in flood fighting equipment went to International Flood Control, a company represented in Manitoba by Peter Ginakes, who has close ties to Ashton.
"Perhaps the largest ever purchase of flood fighting equipment, Tiger Dams, sole-sourced, untendered, from his pal," Pallister said. "Why should Manitobans care? It's their money. It's being wasted."
Pallister called on Greg Selinger to get rid of Ashton during question period.
"I'm asking the premier today and protect Manitobans' best interests and demand the resignation of that minister from his cabinet. Do the right thing today," he said.
Selinger side stepped the request.
"Mr. Speaker, the ombudsman investigated the circumstances, identified that a tendering process was put in place and decided not to proceed with any further investigation," he said.
Ashton said the Tories' claims were unfounded and Pallister`s numbers were wrong.
He said the province has spent $5.5 million in Tiger Dams since the fall of 2009.
"Have we invested in these kinds of products? Absolutely," he said. "I think the key thing to remember [is] they're products that help protect Manitobans. That's what you do in a flood."
A government spokesperson added that that Tiger Dams make up just 40 per cent of its purchases for rapid response and temporary flood protection measures.
Ashton said he invites the ombudsman to have a second look at the province's Tiger Dam purchases to clear the air.
He added he would not be resigning.