More on NDP use of Crown Corporation dollars to fund political staff

This afternoon, in Legislative Committee, the subject was the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. For about the last two years, the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation has put on its payroll a political staff person who reports to Minister Scott Smith. Under my questioning, I was told that it was standard procedure for everyone on the Manitoba Lotteries Corportation payroll to have clear terms of reference for their job. I asked twice for the terms of reference for this position to be tabled. But by the end of the afternoon, it still had not been tabled. Where is it? We are still waiting. Manitobans deserve better than this.

Furthermore, under questioning, Scott Smith as much as admitted that the staff person involved may have dealt with people in the media, and not just people with concerns about the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation, and that the staff person may have been briefing him for question period. It would appear that this staff person was likely involved in trying to put an NDP spin on the situation, and not just trying to deal with the concerns of people with difficulties. I feel strongly Crown Corporation dollars should not be used for hiring political staff. But Scott Smith and the NDP don't see it that way. Scott's person has just left and he is very keen to hire someone new for his staff - using Manitoba Lotteries Corporation dollars. Write to me at jgerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca and tell me what you think about the NDP using Crown Corporation dollars to pay for their political staff