Pallister, Swan continue incessant squabbling

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This article was published 15/05/2017 (2684 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Premier Brian Pallister accused New Democrat MLA Andrew Swan Tuesday of “disgusting behaviour” over Swan’s unrelenting attacks on Pallister’s communications from Costa Rica and a holding company he owns.

Pallister demanded several times that Swan apologize — and he’s still waiting.

Their incessant squabbling led to the premier’s estimates committee bogging down completely and finally having to call it a day as the NDP forced the entire legislature to vote on its complaint about Pallister’s refusal to answer questions until Swan apologized.

The Tory majority easily squashed that motion.

Pallister had declared in committee, “I’ll confirm for the member anything he asks, once he apologizes.”

Swan then tabled a motion calling on the legislature to investigate the alleged violation of Swan’s privileges as an MLA by the premier’s refusal to answer his questions.

That prompted interim NDP leader Flor Marcelino to offer her own undefined apology to Pallister — with no reference to Swan — if it would get the hearings back on track.

Pallister accepted, on conditions there be no more false accusations coming at him from Swan. That’s when the NDP moved that Swan’s motion be put to a vote, lost on a voice vote and then called on the entire legislature to convene for a recorded vote.

As civility broke down Tuesday afternoon, Pallister told his estimates hearing Swan is misrepresenting him “in an effort to get in the paper again.

“Anything for a headline,” Pallister said.

Pallister rejected Swan’s claim it was only this past November that Pallister had declared ownership of Pallister Investments 22 Ltd. for the first time.

The premier said he’d declared ownership before, even though he wasn’t required to because the holding company did not meet the public disclosure threshold of $500 a share.

“He’s attacked my integrity, impugned it,” Pallister said. “This member has a bit of trouble respecting people. Darned right I’m petulant, I don’t like getting my integrity attacked.”

Swan told Pallister the threshold for reporting ownership of investments is anything worth more than $500, not $500 a share.

“That is the most ridiculous explanation I’ve heard,” snapped Swan.

Pallister and Swan had earlier continued their almost-daily sniping Tuesday in question period.

“We have a premier who has trouble keeping his stories straight,” said Swan, again demanding Pallister agree to only use government email and phones when in Costa Rica.

“I’ll commit to developing the best protection of privacy” and the security of information, was again as far as Pallister would go.

On Swan’s persistent raising his ownership of what the premier has called a holding company, Pallister said, “There are clear implications I’m trying to hide something.

“I don’t have a new company, I don’t have a new numbered company, I don’t have a new numbered company in Costa Rica,” Pallister said. “Why would any Manitoban take what he says seriously?”

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca