Liberal Millionaires Club

TERESA WRIGHT
The Guardian
Last updated at 12:36 AM on 08/10/08

Government MLA Pat Murphy, who has publicly admitted to receiving money for his business through the Provincial Nominee Program, wants the public accounts committee to decide whether he should refrain from discussion about the program in committee.

Pay Murphy, Liberal MLA received PNP funds, can he stay and discuss PNP scandal?

Murphy brought it up when the controversial program aimed at connecting immigrant money to P.E.I. businesses came up for debate during a meeting of public accounts Tuesday.

The committee was trying to decide whether it should do its own investigation of the Provincial Nominee Program, referred to as PNP, a program that expedites Canadian visas for immigrants who have money and are willing to invest it into Island companies.

Murphy interrupted this debate to voice his concern about being involved in discussion on the topic, since he accessed funds through the PNP this year for his business, Pat’s Retail Inc.

Committee chair Jim Bagnall told Murphy he could excuse himself from debate on the issue if he felt he was in conflict.

Murphy then left the room.

Buck Watts, Liberal MLA and co-chair Public Accounts "did not feel Murphy should be excluded from PNP

He returned a short time later with photocopies of his letter from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner dated May 23, 2008, clearing him of any conflict in accessing funds through the PNP, despite the fact he is a government MLA.

After delivering this letter to committee, Murphy promptly left the room again, leaving the issue in the committee’s hands.

In light of this letter, committee co-chair Buck Watts and fellow government MLAs Paula Biggar and Janice Sherry said they do not feel Murphy’s involvement with the PNP should exclude him from debate on the issue in committee.

Paula Biggar, Liberal MLA, agreed Murphy was not in conflict of interest

“This (letter) comes right from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner so I say that (Murphy) take his place at the table and become a part of this committee,” Watts said.

But Opposition Leader Olive Crane said she is very concerned about having Murphy participate in any debate on the issue, considering some unanswered questions she has with his involvement in the program.

Olive Crane, Leader of the Opposition, "MLA's take advantage of these programs"

“There’s a lot that the conflict of interest commissioner wouldn’t comment on, but there’s a lot that the general public would like to know — for example, this letter was dated in May so I would expect decisions were made after that to give Mr. Murphy’s business units after that,” Crane said.

“There was a wait list of businesses that met the criteria who were turned down, so questions need to be asked, again, around the administration.”

Janice Sherry, Liberal MLA, with all Liberals agreeing no conflict of interest who represents decency and ethics?

Bagnall echoed Crane’s objections, citing the optics of having a government MLA who accessed PNP funds involved in an investigation into possible discrepancies with this program.

“I do have a concern about the public perception out there on MLAs that when MLAs take advantage of these programs, that we’re being perceived as having an inside track and we got our names pushed ahead and that we talked to the minister and got approved,” Bagnall said.

“That has no bearing on this situation . . . but I feel that Mr. Murphy would be in a conflict of interest sitting at this table, debating the issue, when he’s already a person that has received these units.”

At the end of the day, however, it will be up to Murphy himself as to whether he participates in any debate on the PNP.

The committee doesn’t have the authority to force him out of discussions on the topic.