Sask. Party gov’t hypocritical on GTH openness

For a couple of reasons, one might normally have a little sympathy for the Saskatchewan Party government when it comes to the RCMP investigation into the Global Transportation Hub land deal.

First, it is just an investigation into the GTH purchase of that controversial 204-acre land parcel and one being conducted at the behest of the NDP Opposition and others who happen to be politically involved.

As such, we have no reason to assume anything related to criminal wrongdoing.

In fact, the last word we heard on this specific matter was from provincial auditor Judy Ferguson, who — in her extensive report on the GTH land transaction released in June — said she found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

Second, also in play here are matters of fairness to the individuals involved ... and even privacy.

Politicians and bureaucrats are no less (or more) protected by law and have the same rights to privacy and process as anyone else. Moreover, any police force needs to maintain the integrity of any investigation.

So we can’t be critical just because a spokesperson for Wall’s office may have seemed slightly difficult in Leader-Post reporter David Fraser’s story Saturday confirming private individuals say they have been contacted by RCMP.

Fraser reported that Ruth Eisworth — who owned some of the land sold to Alberta businessman Robert Tappauf, who then flipped the land to Regina businessman Anthony Marquart the same day for an additional $6 million — was asked by the RCMP last April for information on the initial transaction.

Bill Babey, Eisworth’s real estate agent for the deals, and Veronica Dunne of Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions (which owned some of the other land in the controversial 204-acre parcel) have also spoken to the RCMP, Fraser reported.

Of course, many find this intriguing — largely, because the auditor’s report also hammered the government for “buying land at significantly higher price and not in a financially responsible manner” and the “unique board governance and the active involvement of the GTH chair/minister” in the GTH’s land acquisition.

That GTH chair/minister, Bill Boyd, recently announced he is stepping down from cabinet, leaving in his wake criticism from the NDP and others over his and the Sask. Party’s relationship with the two principals who financially benefitted from the deal.

But none of this means anything in the context of the RCMP’s work. So let’s not read anything into the response from Wall’s office that there is “no investigation by anyone I have heard of at all” or that “we’re not going to comment on if or how many official employees have been contacted by the RCMP.”

It’s how government officials should respond to protect both the integrity of the investigation and the employees.

The problem is, that’s not how it’s always conducted business — either on the GTH issue or other files.

Both private and very public communications from Wall himself have been laced with innuendo and veiled threats that the CBC (which initially broke this story last January) would wind up very embarrassed. Well, given the auditor’s report, it’s now rather obvious who needs to be embarrassed by its handling of the GTH land acquisition.

Also, if it’s now government policy to staunchly protect individuals’ privacy, it’s a rather new one. Consider the case of Saskatoon’s Oliver Lodge care aide Peter Bowden, whose alleged workplace record was gleefully distributed to the media by Wall’s communications office after he blew the whistle on night-shift care of 32 residents on his dementia ward.

Provincial privacy commissioner Ron Kruzeniski ruled neither Oliver Lodge nor the Saskatoon Health Region had the right to share any information related to Bowden’s workplace record — let alone see it distributed to the media through Wall’s office. Evidently, Bowden’s privacy was conveniently of less value to the government.

And for a government that vowed to be the most “open and accountable in our history,” any “no comment” on an issue where much is at stake becomes politically difficult.

Given the past political games it has played, maybe it’s time for the Sask. Party to start being a little more consistent.