Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 30/99) - Tu Nedhe MLA Don Morin has filed a conflict of interest complaint against Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen.

Morin laid the complaint with the NWT's Edmonton-based acting conflict of interest commissioner Robert Clark.

The crux of the suit centres on a legal defence fund set up for Groenewegen's legal costs during a conflict of interest inquiry Groenewegen instigated against Morin last year.

Morin alleges Groenewegen spent money counter to the Conflict of Interest Act, but Clark said he could not go into details.

"I've received a request for opinion and I met with Jane when she was here in Edmonton," Clark said.

"I've received statutory declarations from other people involved and I plan to have a report ready to be tabled in the legislature by Sept. 7."

Clark said the report is not finished yet and he could not provide further details.

Clark said the statutory declarations he has received regarding the matter fall under the Canada Evidence Act.

As such, lying under oath has the same effect as perjury.

Neither Morin nor Groenewegen have yet declared whether they will run for re-election in the Dec. 6 election.

Clark said he does not want the allegations to become an issue in the campaign.