Opposition leader calls for public inquiry into nominee program TERESA WRIGHT The Guardian
Opposition Leader Olive Crane is calling for a public inquiry into the Provincial Nominee Program after a senior government adviser went public Wednesday about his resignation from his post within the controversial PNP.
Gordon Cobb said he believes Innovation Minister Richard Brown and other department insiders mismanaged the program. He decided he could no longer be part of it and left.
Crane says this points to major problems with how the PNP was run and a public inquiry is needed.
“Mr. Cobb basically confirmed all the areas of concern that Opposition has had for quite a while,” Crane said.
“The program was a good program for Prince Edward Island, the problems were with the administration.”
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) offered Canadian visas to immigrants who invested $200,000 on P.E.I., some of which went into an Island company.
It was established to encourage more immigration to the province.
But P.E.I.’s program saw immigrants invest in P.E.I. companies by purchasing only preferred shares. The immigrants therefore do not have an active role within these companies.
When federal regulatory changes were announced in March and April of last year, Cobb was asked by Brown to provide advice on how to deal with the changes that would disallow this passive investment approach and therefore end P.E.I.’s PNP.
Cobb advocated a collaborative approach to dealing with Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), as did an independent consultant’s report, done by a firm called Emanote.
Cobb says he was overruled not only by Brown, but also by former deputy minister Brooke MacMillan and Bill Dow, a lawyer for the province.
In a meeting with the group during which the Emanote report was up for debate, Dow — who attended this meeting by speakerphone —seemed to be the final word on the issue, Cobb said.
“All I can say for sure is in that discussion he did essentially reject the Emanote proposal,” Cobb told The Guardian in an interview Wednesday.
“It appeared to be (Dow’s decision). Then he said he was going to do another approach.”
This is why Cobb also advised Brown to remove MacMillan and Dow from the file.
“These were the two people who were responsible for the advice that rejected the Emanote report, and I think that was the wrong advice — therefore I said to Richard (Brown), ‘You’ve got to change that up and those two gentlemen should not be on the file’.”
Crane said she believes all this points to a need for public hearings so Islanders can get to the bottom of what really went on with this program.
“There’s lots of rumours and innuendo with regards to this program, and Mr. Cobb confirmed many of the questions that were out there were accurate,” Crane said.
“When you have allegations of Billy Dow making decisions on a government program and Brooke MacMillan — we need a public inquiry right away.”
But Premier Robert Ghiz says he doesn’t see the need for such an inquiry.
“Right now we have the auditor general, the auditor general is going to come out with a report within the next couple of months and our government is being very open and transparent with him providing all the information,” Ghiz told The Guardian Wednesday.
“Really there’s been no information provided here to me that a public inquiry is needed.”
Ghiz also denied allegations Dow had any decision-making capacities within the PNP.
“Mr. Dow provides legal advice only to the department and we’re very fortunate that we have someone of Mr. Dow’s calibre able to provide legal advice to the department. That’s his only role.”
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George from pei writes: Yes,a public inquiry should be done! Sometimes when individuals lie consistently, they start to believe themselves. But it really isn't that difficult to prove Mr. Dow was a main player with the PNP. Just ask IIDI management ( the three names were listed next to their bonus payments or should that be called hush money ) Either way..it isn't that difficult to prove, does Mr. Ghiz truly believe that it can't be proven that Mr. Dow was involved from his head to his toes....from the approval process of investor companies(provincial business) to actually providing the service to immigrants from the PNP (private business)program and the financial intermediaries working with them...Don't let this be swept under the mat..the truth must be heard...
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Old Grit from City, pei writes: The Ghiz government is not going to allow a public hearing into their wrong doings. The only real remedy here is for the membership of the Liberal Party to take the lead of men like Wellington Gay and Gordon Cobb and, demand a leadership review. It is the only thing that can help restore the public confidence in the ethics of the present low level of leadership being provided. After two years of Robert Ghiz leadership the Island is ready for a change. This PNP scandal will continue to undermine the low level of trust people have in our political process.
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Stephen Pate from Charlottetown, PE writes: She made that comment on CBC Compass but in both the CBC and in the Guardian she seems hardly awake.
Is she sick with that flu?
She's going to let Ghiz slip through her fingers with all that Kings County I'm-just-a-country-girl charm.
In the Guardian we get a tepid call to action.
Come on Olive, this is PEI's biggest political scandal and your chance to be Premier. Wake up and show some energy and emotion. You are no longer a civil servant pushing paper.
Show a little umbrage at the offensiveness of the Ghiz government.
Stand up from behind the desk and show action.
She also said “The program was a good program for Prince Edward Island, the problems were with the administration.”
Well, that's great Olive. Cobb didn't say that. He said it was out of control and where was the benefit.
Are we worried about some Conservative skeletons in the closet?
If we get an inquiry, we'll have to watch to make sure they don't limit the scope to Liberal years only.
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Quiet Observer from Charlottetown, PEI writes: What is Mr. Ghiz trying to hide by not holding a public inquiry into what is alledgedly the biggest scandal in PEI in a long time?
The Auditor General's report is limited in scope by his mandate and will not address issues such as the lawyers and accountants who got so much money, who, why and how much, and how much of that was funnelled back to the Liberal party. It will not address why certain people such as MLAs, government employees and businesses fvriendly to government go so much money while many PEI businesses did not even know that money was available. The Auditor General's report will only scratch the surface.
If Mr. Ghiz is that confident in his gov'ts handling of the PNP, then a public inquiry will prove that. Without a public inquiry, the whole truth will never be known and this will hang over Mr. Ghiz's head right through the next election.
Mr. Ghiz promised us transparent, open and honest government. he has delivered the opposite on many files, not just the PNP.
I thought the Tories were bad until I saw this government.
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keltikman from Charlottetown, PE writes: This is what happens when we can't get past partisan politics. We end up voting for inexperienced inept politicians who think they runs elections, not governments. Neither Mr. Dow or Mr. MacMillian were elected officials nor do they have sufficient experience in government to be calling the shots for the electorate. If what the leader of the opposition is saying is correct, our leadership has let us down, badly. PEI has reportedly the highest voter participation of any province in Canada. It is about time we began demanding more accountability of our politicians. The next time we go to polls demand that you candidate provide us with a political platform that is designed for the greater public good and not just for the benefit of political bandits!!
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TA from pei writes: A public inquiry is needed to clear the air. There are so many rumours and innuendos with many people's reputations on the line including those who are our elected representatives. If there is systemic wrongdoings going on, then expose it. Clear those who have been smeared and hold those responsible for wrong doing accountable. There is more than money involved here. It's our integrity. Mr. Ghiz you will be held accountable for your decisions. You have a responsibility to this province to do the right thing. Call a public inquiry and if not I suggest that Olive call the RCMP and demand a Criminal Investigation relating to fraud with the PNP.
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Don't believe the Hype from PE writes: How much does a Public Inquiry cost and who pays for it? Let the Auditor General do his job first. The file and information is not going anywhere, and if anything, the AGs report might give better direction if a Public Inquiry is warranted, making one more efficient.
What makes you think that a Public Inquiry can get any more information than the Auditor General? Lawyers and Accountants do not need to divulge how much they made just because there is a Public Inquiry. The money was paid to them by a private individual or business and is not tax dollars. Therefore it is protected by the privacy act. And that same act will prevent any business from having to release exactly how they spent the money. And how many of either do you think will rush in to hang themselves?
Instead of everyone trying to score political points with rumor and inuendo, I do not see why people can not wait a few months until the AG gets back with his report. If I do not miss my guess, there will be at least a few harsh facts that political points can be scored on and that Ghiz will have to answer to. And I suspect Brooke MacMillan's role will be a major issue.
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Old Tory from P.E.I. writes: Yes, Olive, let's get on the bandwagon here. Let's hold a news conference and make an official call for a public hearing as well as a demand for Robert Ghiz's resignation. He is not fit to rule.
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JD from PE writes: We need a public inquiry to get to the truth.
Even in the article above there is an untruth stated by the Premier himself.
People who know about the PNP program know Mr. Dow had more involvement than just that as legal counsel.
If our elected officials will not tell us the truth without a public inquiry than a public inquiry maybe the only way to get to the bottom of the greed.
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lame brain doodling from charlottetown, pei writes: Are we the only province with a PNP program being looked into for signs of wrongdoing ? What government initiated the program and what was the original program basics ? Did other provinces have this program and, if so, did they take advantage of loopholes too ? Why are we not hearing anything about the rest of this PNP program across Canada ? We can't compare the PEI process with other provincial processes if we don't know how this program was delivered in any other province. We have been told that there are new regulations now with regard to this program. We don't yet know if there are, or will be, investers that will be refused visas to Canada and, if so, how and from whom will they get their money back. The taxpayers do have a very real interest in this as, ultimately, it is they who will have to repay any shortfall in this program. Someone connected to this program must surely have known that taxpayers would be on the hook for repayment of any monies that was, or will be, lost to the last run of investers. What kind of advice did Mr. Dow give if this speed-up process went through and then didn't pan out exactly as envisioned ? I'm not big on trusting lawyers but would assume any lawyer connected to this PNP would take into account the fact that many things could go wrong with this, especially the last minute speed-up of applications. We will never know all the answers but I would be interested in knowing a few.
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Quiet Observer from Charlottetown, PEI writes: A public inquiry can be given powers to subpeona people and documentation on an issue, powewrs the Auditor General does not have.
If the AG is going to be done and his report released that soon, then I agree with waiting until he is done. But there is so much beyond the scope of what the AG has powers to examine that is being questioned, that the inquiry is still needed.
An inquiry will either vindicate or condemn Ghiz and company. If he has nothing to hide, then let there be an inquiry.
Government will, of course pay for the inquiry, but relative to the dollar amount involved in the PNP, the cost will be peanuts.
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Olive Oil from Charlottetown, PEI writes: Well Olive, that's pretty safe. But remember, the govt. picks any presiding officer.
Now, how about asking some questions about the desecration of the Trans Canada Trail.
The Island's recreational groups are steaming but they can't get any traction for their concerns.
It would be very interesting to see where the money is going when a provincial park is being savaged.
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tom from pei writes: If the premier says we don't need to do a public inquiry than we should trust him, and pretend none of this ever happened. (sarcasm)
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keltikman from Charlottetown, PE writes: Don't believe don't belive the hype . While the law does provide for solicitor/client privilige that applies to any excahnge between the solicitor and the client. It does not extend to the clients participation in a program such as the PNP. Make no mistake about it...this is not a private arrangement. The actions taken by the provincial government were under the authority (not necessarily concurrence) of the Federal Governments Immigration Laws. Any information relative to the PNP can be summoned before a board of inquiry including who was responsible for making what decisions, who was responsible for the the implementation and administration of the program including what fees, salaries, bonuses etc, etc. were dispensed in support of the program and to whom.
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