Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just on the issue of this, and this was something I as a member of this committee had to look at very hard to try to make sure we were clear on what we were looking at. I reflected on the report itself, page 11, paragraph 3.13, was where the issue starts out in my mind, as I see it.
I will read that paragraph and going on:
- 4 In the view of the committee, this single incident, as with all other allegations taken in isolation, are not determinative of an apprehension of bias. Nevertheless, the committee has carefully considered that on the 14th of March, 2001, one day prior to Ms. Roberts' discussions with Mr. Selleck, she acknowledged receiving the Minister's annual disclosure statement in which the Minister confirmed that she did not occupy any position of director with respect to any company.
- 5 Having this information in hand one day and being confronted with serious allegations to the contrary the following day, the committee is at a loss as to why the Conflict of Interest Commissioner would not have contacted the Minister to resolve this apparent contradiction. At this point in time, no complaint was pending. The provision of the annual disclosure statement was freshly available to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.
Mr. Chairman, in this specific situation, for myself as a Member, I would have a hard time dealing with that. Whether it was inadvertent or not, if I have signed off my disclosure forms a day prior to being made aware that there is a contradiction of that, I would hope that the Conflict of Interest Commissioner of the day would have the courtesy to call me. There was no conflict at that point and part of the job of conflict resolution is to make note that this situation existed and I needed to correct it.
It is further pointed out in the transcripts of the taped conversation that in fact she was aware prior to this occurring. She was made aware before an actual complaint was laid. The part that really concerned me was the fact that the day before she received, fresh off the press so to speak, a signed document from a Minister of this government saying that she was clear on the issue and then a day later is interviewed by the CBC and, with evidence given, was made aware that there was a potential contravention here.
It was contrary to, immaterial to however she got it, how it was given to her, that the Minister's annual disclosure statement was not a correct one. Inadvertent or not, if I am a Member of this government and whatever day it will be, if something comes forward and someone lays -- or another media person does another interview to find something out there and I have just finished signing off a document saying no, in fact, to the best of my knowledge I do not occupy these positions or I have not contravened these acts, and here are all the things I signed on the dotted line, that I would be given that opportunity to at least correct.
The question is, either reconfirm what I said, call me up to say, "I am confirming this fact." That was not done in this situation. Unfortunately, there were a number of things that fell out of this and then started this nasty process. To me, this one specific thing, and with this motion, I stand by it as a committee member because I know as a Member of this Legislative Assembly, I have some serious issues with this particular aspect of what had occurred or not occurred, along with some of the other issues that are out there that some people say we should not pay attention to.
The fact is, after finding all of this out in a public hearing and testimony, it is hard not to be able to come back to the Assembly. It is this body that will make the final decision and I will stand by that decision. As part of this committee, I have to stand by my motion as to some of the incidents and this one being a very serious one.
It is not like there is a week or two, or a month that has taken place here. It is one day prior and that is according to testimony. That is why, in my case, I would support this motion and move forward with it. We must expect the best out of the people who are there in a job that they are going to be fair to the residents of the Territory if it is the residents that lay a complaint against us, but one whose role also is to ensure that Members are following the guidelines before us. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.