Police won’t get involved in MLA expenses
Posted Feb 11, 2010 05:30:40 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The MLA expense scandal has taxpayers in an uproar, with calls for a criminal investigation – but police say they won’t be involved.
Former House Speaker Art Donahoe will review allowances and perks for Nova Scotia politicians in light of an auditor general’s report that identified multiple instances of inappropriate or excessive claims – as well as several cases of “double dipping,” in which MLAs claimed meal costs despite already receiving a per diem payment.
But in letters to the editor and online comments, members of the public say more than a legislative review is needed, with some calling for police to take a look.
However, RCMP Sgt. Bridget Leger says they are not involved.
“We are not engaged in an investigation,” she said. “What we’ve also noted is that the auditor general has undertaken an internal process and he has indicated publicly that in this process he did not find anything in his examination that warranted sending this matter to the RCMP.”
She adds they need substance in order to launch a probe.
“It’s important to have knowledge of events and be able to provide information that would support that some criminal offence occurred,” Leger said.
She says such information would have to come from Auditor General Jacques Lapointe. Lapointe says he saw no criminal intent with the expense claims.
“Partly as a result of the rules being so poor and the system processing all these things being so poor I think MLA’s sometimes have trouble knowing what they should be doing and what they shouldn’t.” said Lapointe.
Lapointe says he has no intention right now of calling in police.
