The Saskatchewan NDP formally requested two conflict of interest investigations into Sask. Party MLAs, who the NDP allege, through their private businesses, have wrongfully cashed in on government contracts.At issue is Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s family business, Fortress Windows and Doors, and MLA Gary Grewal’s Sunrise and Thriftlodge motels. “People deserve to know whether Sask. Party MLAs are using their power to score big government contracts for their own businesses,” said Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway. “If you’re an elected member of the government, you shouldn’t be doing sales to your own government on the side. A lot of folks I’m hearing from are worried that, after 17 years in power, the Sask. Party is looking more and more like an out-of-touch old boys club.”Pursuant to section 29 of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act, members of the Legislative Assembly can trigger conflict of interest investigations after a formal request to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.To Conway, MLAs Grewal and Cockrill appear to be in contravention of section 15 of the Act, which prohibits elected officials from participating in government contracts.In 2021, Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd. received $179,137.46 in contracts from the Battleford Housing Authority, which is overseen by Premier Scott Moe’s Minister of Social Services. During this time, Minister Cockrill was working as a salesperson for the company on the side.SaskTel also signed multiple contracts with Fortress in 2020 and 2021 when Cockrill was earning income from Fortress.MLA Grewal’s motels did almost no business with the Ministry of Social Services prior to his election in 2020. However, once Grewal became a member of the Sask. Party Caucus, government business increased to $731,194 in a few short years. Rates from his hotels for social services clients were more than double that of reguar customers.After Question Period, the Sask. Party government put MLA Jim Reiter forward to speak to reporters about the allegations."We're going to wait for the response from the Conflict of Interest commissioner. And that's how it should be dealt with," Reiter said."Probably after the conflict of interest commissioner's had an opportunity to look at this, I'm sure [Cockrill will] be happy to talk to you."Reiter said Cockrill had also made declarations on such matters already and the NDP allegations lacked evidence."We file statements, showing all sorts of all properties, all business interests, that kind of thing, to conflict of interest commissioners. I've seen very little problem coming out of that, frankly, other than allegations, especially recently from the members opposite. And that's what I find incredibly troubling," he said.Conway said she would not have filed requests to the commissioner without a "reasonable belief" that the MLAs breached the act, including cockrill."There's the contracts between fortress and the Sask Housing Corporation and the Battlefords Housing Authority. We know that $180,000 worth of work was done in 2021 at a time when Jeremy Cockrill was working as a salesperson and getting an income from Fortress Windows and Doors," she said."My issue is with Jeremy Cockrill. When he was elected in 2020, he should have stepped away from this company if they were going to continue to do work with government. That's what Section 15 requires. And there's good reason for that. Otherwise it gives rise to concerns on behalf of the public that people are using their public offices to derive a public benefit."On February 16, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation responded by letter to an inquiry by Conway to state "Our records show that Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) has not awarded contracts to Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd.," despite the disclosures linked to above."For projects over $7,500 and under $100,000, housing authorities are required to hold invitational competitions as per SHC’s internal procedures. For projects $100,000 and over, housing authorities must hold an open competition and advertise on sasktenders.ca. In 2023, The Battlefords Housing Authority implemented practices to exceed the procurement requirements by publicly tendering all projects over $30,000 on sasktenders.ca.," the corporation explained."In 2023, The Battlefords Housing Authority issued the two referenced open competitions, PT23018 and PT23014, and awarded contracts to Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd. as the low bidder, with bids of $24,443.34 for PT23018 and $79,762.31 for PT23014."
The Saskatchewan NDP formally requested two conflict of interest investigations into Sask. Party MLAs, who the NDP allege, through their private businesses, have wrongfully cashed in on government contracts.At issue is Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill’s family business, Fortress Windows and Doors, and MLA Gary Grewal’s Sunrise and Thriftlodge motels. “People deserve to know whether Sask. Party MLAs are using their power to score big government contracts for their own businesses,” said Ethics and Democracy Critic Meara Conway. “If you’re an elected member of the government, you shouldn’t be doing sales to your own government on the side. A lot of folks I’m hearing from are worried that, after 17 years in power, the Sask. Party is looking more and more like an out-of-touch old boys club.”Pursuant to section 29 of the Members’ Conflict of Interest Act, members of the Legislative Assembly can trigger conflict of interest investigations after a formal request to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.To Conway, MLAs Grewal and Cockrill appear to be in contravention of section 15 of the Act, which prohibits elected officials from participating in government contracts.In 2021, Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd. received $179,137.46 in contracts from the Battleford Housing Authority, which is overseen by Premier Scott Moe’s Minister of Social Services. During this time, Minister Cockrill was working as a salesperson for the company on the side.SaskTel also signed multiple contracts with Fortress in 2020 and 2021 when Cockrill was earning income from Fortress.MLA Grewal’s motels did almost no business with the Ministry of Social Services prior to his election in 2020. However, once Grewal became a member of the Sask. Party Caucus, government business increased to $731,194 in a few short years. Rates from his hotels for social services clients were more than double that of reguar customers.After Question Period, the Sask. Party government put MLA Jim Reiter forward to speak to reporters about the allegations."We're going to wait for the response from the Conflict of Interest commissioner. And that's how it should be dealt with," Reiter said."Probably after the conflict of interest commissioner's had an opportunity to look at this, I'm sure [Cockrill will] be happy to talk to you."Reiter said Cockrill had also made declarations on such matters already and the NDP allegations lacked evidence."We file statements, showing all sorts of all properties, all business interests, that kind of thing, to conflict of interest commissioners. I've seen very little problem coming out of that, frankly, other than allegations, especially recently from the members opposite. And that's what I find incredibly troubling," he said.Conway said she would not have filed requests to the commissioner without a "reasonable belief" that the MLAs breached the act, including cockrill."There's the contracts between fortress and the Sask Housing Corporation and the Battlefords Housing Authority. We know that $180,000 worth of work was done in 2021 at a time when Jeremy Cockrill was working as a salesperson and getting an income from Fortress Windows and Doors," she said."My issue is with Jeremy Cockrill. When he was elected in 2020, he should have stepped away from this company if they were going to continue to do work with government. That's what Section 15 requires. And there's good reason for that. Otherwise it gives rise to concerns on behalf of the public that people are using their public offices to derive a public benefit."On February 16, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation responded by letter to an inquiry by Conway to state "Our records show that Saskatchewan Housing Corporation (SHC) has not awarded contracts to Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd.," despite the disclosures linked to above."For projects over $7,500 and under $100,000, housing authorities are required to hold invitational competitions as per SHC’s internal procedures. For projects $100,000 and over, housing authorities must hold an open competition and advertise on sasktenders.ca. In 2023, The Battlefords Housing Authority implemented practices to exceed the procurement requirements by publicly tendering all projects over $30,000 on sasktenders.ca.," the corporation explained."In 2023, The Battlefords Housing Authority issued the two referenced open competitions, PT23018 and PT23014, and awarded contracts to Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd. as the low bidder, with bids of $24,443.34 for PT23018 and $79,762.31 for PT23014."
