PNP intermediary process fair, says Palmer

The process to pick new provincial nominee program intermediaries was fair, says Economic Development Minister Chris Palmer. During Wednesday’s question period, Opposition MLA Steven Myers asked about the process to choose the 12 intermediaries announced last year and whether it was run fairly. Palmer responded that it was. “It was a public tender and it was done fairly,” he said.

Last year the provincial government issued a request for proposals for new PNP intermediaries to identify and attract potential immigrants to P.E.I. and help them with the necessary paperwork.

Applicants pay intermediaries a fee for their service.

There were previously seven approved intermediaries, of which six were re-approved last year.

A further six new intermediaries were also approved. After the government announced the intermediaries, H.P. Consultants Inc., which was a former intermediary, filed a lawsuit against the government alleging the process favoured companies that had personal and political ties to government.

In the legislature Wednesday, Myers said request for proposal processes that are run fairly don’t usually end up in court.

“Why wasn’t the scoring process for bidders evenly applied?” Myers asked. Palmer said a scoring grid was used to evaluate the applicants and the government took the best scores of agents who were willing to work in the province’s new PNP model.

In response to further questions, Palmer said the location of the applicant’s office was important in the request for proposals.

“All bidders clearly understood that our goal here is to help with newcomers populating right across P.E.I.”