Wall talks to RCMP about GTH deals
Premier says in-depth interview ‘covered the whole issue very well’
Premier Brad Wall says he has spoken with the RCMP about the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) land deals.
But in defence of his government paying $103,000 an acre for the land in question, Wall told reporters his government “spent less than what was authorized” of taxpayer money on the land he says is now “selling for much more.”
Wall told reporters Wednesday he spoke with the RCMP in June or July. “I would say it was extensive, yeah. It covered the whole issue very well. I think the questions, they were in-depth questions,” he said.
“They’re clearly very familiar with the project, had read not just the auditor’s report but the (media) coverage, and yeah, I think it was very thorough.”
Wall would not say where his discussion with the RCMP took place, but he indicated he did not have a lawyer present.
The premier’s comments came after renewed calls were made for a public inquiry into the GTH, which has become a political albatross around the neck of the Saskatchewan Party government.
Although it is a long-standing request of the opposition NDP, the province’s former attorney general Gord Wyant announced this week he, too, now wants a public inquiry into the matter.
Wyant made the announcement in the midst of his bid to become the next Sask. Party leader — and by extension premier — when Wall steps down in January 2018.
Wall said he wants to let the RCMP do its work first, but is not ruling out other steps, including an inquiry, once that work has finished.
He said he wants the public to have more confidence in what happened regarding the GTH deals than they do now.
“And I know they have a lot of questions. I want all of the answers on the table to the satisfaction of the people whom I serve, whom we all serve. But we’re going to let the RCMP do their work,” he said.
Wall’s Sask. Party caucus has actively worked to prevent some of those questions from being answered. Key government officials involved in the land transactions were blocked several times from testifying at a legislative committee by Sask. Party members.
One of those key witnesses is Laurie Pushor, a senior civil servant in the economy ministry. He would be useful in providing insight on why the government ignored appraisals that pegged the 204 acres at a significantly lower price.
In an email recently made public, Pushor was referencing a high appraisal from one of the businessman who profited from the sale when he wrote to then-economy minister Bill Boyd and Wall’s chief of staff that, “While I understand that there will be push back in terms of appraisal methodologies it does mean that we have some information that makes a case for our position.”
Wall took a stab Wednesday at explaining what Pushor meant in that email, as the opposition NDP has characterized it as a smoking gun showing the Sask. Party’s desire to pay a higher price for the land.
“It was the position of the ministry that the government would have to pay more, otherwise the person would not sell,” said Wall, later adding, “There was no intent to pay more. Not to enrich anybody, not to benefit anybody. This was the official saying, ‘we’re going to have to pay more or you can’t get the land, he will not sell it.’ ”
Provincial auditor Judy Ferguson ruled last year that taxpayers paid too much when buying the 204 acres of land for $21 million.
As a result of that purchase, two financial supporters of the Saskatchewan Party made significant profit by flipping the land, located near the GTH, at much higher prices.
RCMP contacted at least one of the former owners of the land last spring, and have since talked with a number of people involved in the land transactions.
The RCMP has not yet confirmed an ongoing investigation into the matter.