Tories demand NB Liquor head step aside in face of allegation
Published Wednesday April 15th, 2009
FREDERICTON - Opposition Conservatives are calling for the head of NB Liquor to step aside from his duties while a conflict of interest allegation is investigated.
Dana Clendenning, a close friend of Premier Shawn Graham and president of NB Liquor, will be the subject of a hearing in New Brunswick's Court of Queen's Bench in June after a former business associate accused him of a conflict.
Opposition Conservatives said the accusations against Clendenning raise the spectre of improper conduct and he should remove himself from his position until the matter is settled.
"We believe it is important that Mr. Clendenning temporarily step aside from his duties at NB Liquor until the conflict of interest allegations are heard," Opposition Leader David Alward said Tuesday.
"That would ensure transparency and confidence in the system."
Alward said the latest allegations of wrongdoing are a symptom that there's something rotten in the Liberal ranks.
"The ministers don't seem to understand the importance of their positions," he said. "What is dismaying is that the premier doesn't understand it either."
Premier Shawn Graham insisted he has acted properly in all instances of allegations against his ministers, including those against Clendenning.
As president and CEO of a Crown corporation, Clendenning is not permitted to have other business dealings unless they are approved by the judge overseeing the conflict-of-interest legislation.
"There's a process in place for deputy ministers and CEOs of Crown corporations when an allegation is made," Graham said.
"Once I was aware an allegation was made, a process was started. It's going to be reviewed by a judge and we'll wait for the results of that review."
The allegations are to be heard by Justice Paulette Garnett on June 4 and 5.
Graham did not know whether the hearing will be open to the public.
Court officials could not find any record of the pending hearing when called on Tuesday, and could not offer any information about its nature or whether it will be open to the public.
During question period in the legislature, Tory critic Rose-May Poirier asked the premier about reports that Clendenning, the former executive director of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, used his political connections to offer help to a Fredericton businessman.
The businessman, Barry O'Donnell, was in the call centre business.
According to Poirier, Clendenning acted as a consultant-lobbyist for O'Donnell at a cost of $2,500 a month. Once the Liberals came to power in 2006, this fee increased to $4,000 a month.
"This was to deliver job creation grants from the Liberal government," Poirier said in the legislature.
"My question is for the Premier. Are we to believe that, in order to get a grant for job creation in New Brunswick, we now need to hire a Liberal consultant at $4,000 a month?"
Graham answered by outlining several recent job creation initiatives undertaken by his government.
"Job creation is very important, and our government will leave no stone unturned in looking to secure jobs for New Brunswickers in these times of economic difficulty," he said.
Poirier also called for Clendenning to step aside until the matter is settled.
She said the premier should demand Clendenning's immediate resignation if the allegations are proved.
But Graham would say only that he will allow the process to unfold.
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We deserve better governance. In the next election there will be major changes. Hopefully another provincial party will challenge the Liberal and Conservatives. Enough is enough.
JOSEPH BONNEVIE MONCTON NB joeb@nb.sympatico.ca
How many of his buddies have plum positions because of their old boy's club?
As far as Glendenning, if he was receiving funding for lobbying for these call centre jobs - isn't that the same as bribery? Shouldn't he he be required to step back from his position on the allegations of impropriety alone?
And what kind of results will come out of this investigation. He is related to Justice Glendenning isn't he? How fair is it to appoint someone who may be a friend of a relative in an instance like this. An outside investigation should have been in order - not someone from the area. How convenient to have such a tightly knit group in power...
He should definately offer Mr. O'Donnell a refund - he obviously didn't come through for him & as a result all those call-center jobs were wiped out........
This is not a partisan issue because both Parties have engaged in this type of lobbying activity, Only if we all work together, no matter your politics, we may be able to stop these "Consultants" from robbing the system.
But to suggest that these allegations are all just innocent and we are all naive is..well..naive or partisan...
Are you a paid consultant JR?