The Conflict of Interest Commissioner left it to the Legislative Assembly to determine a proper penalty for Gary Grewal’s illegal actions
REGINA – In light of yesterday's scathing Auditor’s Report and the continued failure of the Sask. Party government to end MLA profiteering from government contracts, the Saskatchewan NDP attempted to bring forward an emergency motion to compel Gary Grewal to answer questions before the Human Services Committee.
Both the Sask. Party and the Clerk’s staff were given advance notice of the motion on Tuesday, and the committee was prepared to debate the motion.
The motion, to be introduced by NDP Ethics & Democracy Shadow Minister Meara Conway, read:
“That the Standing Committee on Human Services calls Mr. Gary Grewal to attend a future meeting of the committee as a witness to answer questions from committee members about the Ministry of Social Services’ hotel policies and the Conflict Of Interest Commissioner’s opinion of October 21, 2024.”
Sask. Party members used their majority on committee to quickly adjourn and block its introduction.
In October, Gary Grewal, the owner of Sunrise Motel, was found guilty of profiteering $731,000 from taxpayers after the government awarded social services contracts to its own MLA’s hotel.
The Sunrise Scandal first began in November 2023, when the Saskatchewan NDP revealed internal documents showing that the Sunrise Motel – owned by Sask. Party MLA Grewal – had doubled the motel rates when charging government clients, effectively jacking up the rates when taxpayers were footing the bill. It was then revealed that MLA Grewal was financially involved with another motel engaged in the same practice.
In his 17-page report, the Commissioner found not only that Grewal broke the law, contravening subsection 15(5) of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act, but that he failed to comply with the recommendations of the Commissioner.
On Tuesday, a damning report from the Auditor General was released that found the Ministry of Social Services does not have proper checks and balances for securing hotels for clients in need.
“We want Gary Grewal to come before a legislative committee to face questioning so we can prevent this magnitude of a scandal from ever happening again,” Conway said. “There are many unanswered questions. How was Mr. Grewal permitted to inflate his rates so dramatically? After the Commissioner got involved, how is it that he was able to continue to engage in government contracts contrary to the Commissioner’s advice?”
“The people of Saskatchewan are ready for change and sick and tired of the scandal, waste and mismanagement from this Sask. Party government; however, they have chosen yet again today to protect their and deny any form of accountability.”
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