“I determined that there are reasonable and probable grounds to proceed with an investigation in both these matters.”
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Saskatchewan’s conflict of interest commissioner (COIC) has confirmed that he is investigating two government-side MLAs.
Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill and fellow Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal were notified in July by COIC Maurice Herauf.
“I determined that there are reasonable and probable grounds to proceed with an investigation in both these matters,” Herauf explained in an emailed response.
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Herauf said the investigation is being pursued in accordance with sections 29(1) and 30(1)(a) of the The Members Conflict of Interest Act.
Grewal has stated that he will not seek re-election in the coming provincial general election, which is set to take place on or before Oct. 28.
“At this point MLAs are cooperating and going through the COIC process,” said Angela Currie, government caucus chief of staff, in an emailed response.
The investigation was first requested in mid-May by NDP MLA Meara Conway. At the time, the Opposition said the two MLAs “through their private businesses, appear to have wrongfully cashed in on government contracts.”
For Grewal, that private business included the Sunrise and Thriftlodge motels, which the government used to provide emergency shelter through the Ministry of Social Services. The hotels linked to Grewal were paid $731,000 since 2020, which is the year he was elected to his seat in Regina Northeast.
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Grewal has said he is not involved in day-to-day operations of the hotels.
Cockrill’s connection to Fortress Windows and Doors came into question by Conway’s request for an investigation. The Battlefords MLA was elected in 2020 and, in 2021, Fortress Windows and Doors received $179,137 in contracts from the Battleford Housing Authority.
Each MLA has a publicly available conflict of interest disclosure form. Under the “income” heading on his first member’s public disclosure form, filed on Feb. 11, 2021, Cockrill is listed as an advisor to Fortress Windows & Doors Ltd. In 2022, he was listed as holding the position of “sales (part time),” while in 2023 no income was stated from the company.
Section 15 of the Members Conflict of Interest Act says no member may participate or have interest in a company that enters into a government contract to deliver goods, services or real estate agreements to a Crown entity.
Conway said at the time that Cockrill “continued to derive the benefit from” his association with the business in question “and he did not seek an exemption under the Act.”
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The Act also lays out possible discipline for MLAs, including reprimand, fine, suspension, or for their seat to be “declared vacant.”
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