NNSL (Nov 13/98) - Premier Don Morin admitted he exceeded his authority in giving the former secretary to cabinet, Roland Bailey, an assurance when Bailey was considering leaving the government.

"He asked if it was necessary if I could waive Item 14, and I said I didn't see any problem with that," Morin recalled Tuesday.

Item 14 is a provision in the government's human resources manual which says contracts can not be awarded to senior government employees during the first year after they leave government.

"Did you give any thought to what authority you had to make that promise?" asked Davidson.

"I found out I didn't (have that authority)," answered Morin.

Bailey left the government in October of 1996. Within the next 12 months, he was hired to study privatization of the government's petroleum products division, manage the Aurora Fund and entered into lease negotiations with the government for Lahm Ridge Tower, a building he now co-owns.

Groenewegen denied right to cross-examine

Conflict of interest commissioner Anne Crawford ruled last Friday Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen's lawyer does not have the right to cross-examine Morin.

"I am not prepared to have Mr. Chivers reappear simply for the examination of Mr. Morin," said Crawford. The commissioner ruled Aug. 4 that Groenewegen, who filed the complaint against Morin, does not have participant status in the inquiry.

Crawford gave Chivers up to an hour to deliver a summation. Chivers attended the inquiry Monday and Tuesday.

Groenewegen said Monday the public had contributed about $30,000 toward her legal costs, which the government has refused to cover.

Cabinet conflict

Don Morin said he was not in attendance at a May 16, 1996, cabinet meeting during discussion of the government leasing space at the Fort Resolution Mini Mall.

The mini mall was being planned by Fort Resolution's Deninu Ku'e band on land it wanted to buy from Morin, putting him in a conflict of interest for the discussion.

Morin said he arrived at the meeting before it began and informed someone, he could not recall who, of the conflict of interest he had for that item on the agenda.

Conflict of interest guidelines for cabinet require anyone at a meeting to declare they have a conflict and to disclose the general nature of the conflict.

Records of the May 16 meeting indicate Morin did neither, but his lawyers argued the guidelines only apply to those in attendance at the meeting. Minutes show Morin arrived 15 minutes after the meeting began. Both he and other cabinet ministers testified that was after the item was discussed.

Memory switch

Asked Monday by his lawyer, John Hustwick, how good he is at remembering dates and times, Premier Don Morin said, "I'm very good."

At the start of cross-examination the next day, Davidson said, "We had some discussion about this the other day. How good are you at remembering dates?"

"Not very good," replied Morin.