NDP Call for Independent Inquiry
Wednesday, March 6, 2013 @ 3:44 PM
Prince George, B.C.- The Wood Innovation Design Centre was once again the focus of the question period at the Provincial Legislature as the New Democrats issued a call for an independent investigation.
At issue, allegations that Jobs Minister Pat Bell had made promises to BID Group that BID would be shortlisted in the selection process to build the Wood Innovation Design Centre. Bell said in the house that Brian Fehr has contributed $50,000.00 to the NDP.
Minister Bell read a partial response from the fairness advisor “In the letter it says that she reviewed the matter , and I am quoting ‘I have reviewed the matter and subsequently reported to the project board that I’m satisfied the evaluation process had not been compromised and that the WIDC procurement had been handle appropriately to date.’ The remainder of the materials of course will be released as I said when the contract is awarded.”
He told the House he expects the contract to be awarded within the next week or so.
The NDP’s Forestry Critic Norm Macdonald pressed the matter, saying “The allegations are extremely serious” He then quoted Bid Group’s Brian Fehr as saying “the Jobs Minister had committed to me (Fehr) that if I would do that (purchase the land of Dan McLaren) that he would make sure we got short listed and then you could have an alternative method in the bid. He absolutely promised me that we would get shortlisted.”
Macdonald pressed to ask “What investigation has been launched to answer these very serious charges?”
Bell responded by saying the allegations are false, then challenged Macdonald “ to repeat those allegations outside of this House, I would encourage him to do so.” That of course is a recognition that comments made inside the legislature are privileged and legal action cannot be launched, however, that protection evaporates once the member is outside the House, and if repeated outside the House, could spark legal action.
The New Democrats continued to press the issue reading from a letter said to have been from NDI Trust CEO Janine North which says the NDI Trust had acted as a lender to allow the acquisition of several lots “at the request of the two local Ministers of the Crown and the interests expressed by the Mayor and Council of the City of Prince George.”
Minister Bell challenged the members of the Opposition to repeat their allegations outside the House.
The Opposition called for an independent investigation of the matter, calling on the Attorney General to commit to a “thorough investigation into the Wood Innovation land assembly.”
Minister Bell says the fairness advisor has already conducted an independent review and said the procurement process was not compromised . He also said an investigative reporter had indicated they had dug as deep as they could, and fund nothing.
The NDP’s Leonard Krog called on the Attorney General to call an independent investigation “Clear the air once and for all, if this government has nothing to hide then let it be investigated appropriately.”
Krog said that when such serious allegations are made, it is vital the public interest be protected “and that requires the Attorney General get to the bottom of it.”
Comments
Something smells and it isn’t fresh bud.
wowww what’s Bell gonna do outside the House??? Put up his dukes??? Certainly sounds like threats to me…
The first version of the RFP, looked legit.
Then the proponents were short listed and the RFP was modified. 25% of the points awarded were whether a 48,000 square foot building was built on the adjacent land. It didn’t say the adjacent land was Commonwealth’s but we can draw our own conclusions.
There was a big fuss raised and the requirement to build on the adjacent land was dropped.
Who put the requirement to build on the adjacent land in the RFP? I can’t imagine that some bureaucrat in Victoria felt that would be good for their career.
Did Bell or Bond have anything to do with this requirement?
Whats even more smelly with Brian Fehr is his involvement in purchasing a residential home, under his # company in the Haldi area, west of Prince George. Having the L&M developers, City planners, Mayor and council permit rezoning and OCP amendments to pass a second time. Mr. Fehr’s property has been mixed up in Supreme Court Rulings with decisions made with the city. Again this property will see many residents in Prince George taking the city to court again. Business as usual????
What the hell repeat the statements outside he House, just reading from a very public letter. This is so funny, just what really went on here and I thought they said NDT was out side government influance oops, maybe not.Pat getting testy should slow down chill out a little
Why isn’t the NDIT being looked at more closely ? Ms. North is pointing fingers to justify lending money pegged for economic development to her land speculating friends. It didn’t look good from the very beginning but everyone is so hungry for downtown revitalization…..
Your protected from being sued for libel in the house outside you can be held accountable by law, that was the threat.
I do not think that the NDP cares if this is true or not. What they care about is stirring up Sh** polish before an election.
If your a land speculator and a guy who has a contruction company and plans do not go according to plan (their wishes) they go to plan “B” and claim they have been wronged.
I do not think for a minute that pat bell as a person said these things. sour grapes maybe.
“letter said to have been from NDI Trust CEO Janine North which says the NDI Trust had acted as a lender to allow the acquisition of several lots âat the request of the two local Ministers of the Crown and the interests expressed by the Mayor and Council of the City of Prince George”
Doesn’t this prove Ministerial influence into the matter? Subpoena Janine North, prosecutor can cut her a deal so she can roll over on the guilty parties.
I think if you investigate the trail, you will have to ask and see who is in bed with whom. Who is freind with whom. Who has family involved with whom. Who sat on boards with whom. Who has business dealings with whom. Who gave campain funds to whom. on and on and on. There is no smoke,there is no fire only sour grapes maybe on a couple of busines men that did not get their way. Suspect when almost every thing they do, a lawyer has to be involved.
Maybe someone other than the Attorney General should be asked to convene an independent investigation since the Attorney General is one of the two local ministers of the Crown that Janine North is said to be referring to.
Has Fehr contributed to the Liberal Party
Just a note I Know Pat, I know dan, I do not know Mr. Fehr. but I will accept pat version of the story every day.
What a circus! Having Shirley Bond as Justice Minister looking into allegation of corruption in which she is also implicated in ridiculous.
All the BS because of a Wood Innovation Building that we never needed, that would not serve any useful purpose, and which should have never been considered.
Much like the huge waste of millions of dollars for the Airport Runway Expansion.
If these bloody politicians had given us this money for roads, and infrastructure, and tree planting, etc; we would have been far ahead in the game.
As it now stands we have nothing but problems, problems, problems.
palopu, you are so right it is sick. But this is now the hand we are dealt. We have to look at the players in this fiasco and think that this may have been the logical concusion. Lawyer Lawyer Lawyer.
remember the days of a hand shake.
Unemployed lawyers? A thing of the past here and now in B.C.
off topic but lawyer are bout billable hours to make partnership. (high end)
Relocate the WIDC to the top of University Way, sublet a few floors to the Women’s Recovery Center and then do something CREATIVE with George street. That would right alot of wrongs in an instant.
This whole PG Hotel/WIDC thing has had the stench of wrong-doing since the start. If anyone should have fingers pointed at them it should start with the players in the acquisition of the PG Hotel propery. Let Pat leave office in peace, at least he can say he has done something positive for our region.
ya know, watchdog you make agood point. I think it may be a better location as long as the gound (foundation) could support it.
sand, gravel, clay??? But we are off topic.
I lost all respect for McLaren when I read in the Citizen that he had his son lie for him at the door when he miraculously disappeared while getting served with documents for the foreclosure etc. It seems to me some of the big time business people in this town are a little too busy trying to influence political directions for their own gains.
I concur that I would take Pat Bell’s word for it over McLarens any day. McLaren’s business model is get the city and province to finance his own ego trip. Try higher shoes Dan.
This is rediculous! These two guys have absolutely no credibility in this city. Pat’s not a dumb man, and I’m sure he’s well aware what McLaren and Fehr were up to. What a couple of bottom feeders! Hold your head high Mr.Bell.
What a crock Fehr made a $50,000 donation to the NDP through one of his companies last February, while supposedly cutting this deal with Bell. The NDP doesn’t need to run a negative campaign they have all there friends doing it for them.
A formal complaint to the RCMP should trigger an investigation.
Mr Marshall Smith and employee of Brian Fehr was observed driving Adren Dixon(NDP leader) around Prince George recently. If memory serves me correctly Brian Fehr 50% owner of Haldi Road Womanâs Recovery Centre and the Bid Group of Companies. The Bid Group APPARENTLY got the shaft from Pat Bell from allegations Pat Bell promised Brian Fehr and Dan McLaren to be short listed for the contract to build Wood Innovation Centre in downtown Prince George.
Brian Fehr has donated $50,000 dollars to the NDP. Now we will see some more lucrative Government deals coming Brian Fehrâs, and Haldi Road recovery Centres way soon after the Provincial election. IMO.
We have Aberdeen Glen Gulf club in PG and we should rename a region of PG Crookston after the southwestern region of Glasgow in Scotland.
How about changing Cranbrooks Hill to CranCrooks Hill or simply Crooooooks Hill? Next item in city council agenda.
So are all the business people in this town going to pull out their wallets and take one from the NDP? Marshall Smith was seen numerous times schmoozing with Pat Bell and Lois Boone when he was with the Baldy Hughes. It’s like rats jumping off first. I am not an NDP supporter and I would love to see the NDP lose the upcoming election and then see what the rich business people who buy polictical favour get for their 50 grand when the bet landed on the runner-up. It’s so cheap to simply spend years sucking up to one only to stop and suck up to the other because the polls say that you’re now sucking up to the wrong person.
OH and have we forgotten the conflict of interest Mayor Green and Marshall Smith. My my we the public are just a bunch of morons in Shari Greens eyes.
what’s wrong with using the old Detox centre building behind the hospital next to Nechako centre?? that’d be a good spot for the Women’s Shelter. Close to all the amenities..
“Mr Marshall Smith and employee of Brian Fehr was observed driving Adren Dixon(NDP leader) around Prince George recently. If memory serves me correctly Brian Fehr 50% owner of Haldi Road Womanâs Recovery Centre and the Bid Group of Companies”
– Marshall Smith is the Manager, Strategic Initiatives at The BID Group of Companies.
Everything is connected.
Brian Fehr has been getting saw mill contracts for years by “pulling” the right strings. Now he wants government work and figures he can buy that work also. Must think he is in Quebec!
I didn’t know Dix swung that way. ;)
Since he says the allegastions against him are not true, why does’nt Pat Bell just sue the two business men for defamation. It is they, after all, who made the allegations initially, and I presume they do not have privilege. Why threaten politicians who are doing the job we pay them to do following up on allegations of corruption to ensure no wrongdoing took place, the reason they have privilege in the first place.
ammonra. Please you have no clue how the legal system works based on your statement.
What you claim is so very hard to prove and it comes down to “he said, she said”.
This may be a case of two guys who want what they want and will do or say any thing to get it. If there is no signed paper work, then there is no proof. Dont forget that these 2 are about making money. And do you Know pat, dan or brian. If you did know them then you might be closer to the true than you think.
Pat. thank you for you service.
ammonra. by the way any thing that is said in the house is not a court matter. If the ndp rep states the same thing that he did inside the house, out side the house, then their are lible.
Rattyboy, you missed my point in its entirety. Both businessmen have publicly said that Bell did certain things, which he denies, so why doesn’t he sue them. They are on record, obviously, or other people couldn’t quote them in or out of the Legislature, could they?
I don’t think there is any confusion over what is being claimed was said, and that is surely the relevant point in a case of defamation. Since the businessmen are on record about it, surely it would be easy to establish the facts about what they claimed. If they then can’t prove their claims to be true then it would be defamation, wouldn’t it? Clearly it has damaged Bell’s reputation, wouldn’t you agree?
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