Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 30/01) - Those hoping to hear a random sampling of the telephone conversations of the cabinet minister at the centre of a conflict of interest storm are going to be disappointed.

Only parts of a tape of Health and Social Services Minister Jane Groenewegen's taped telephone conversations will be made public, said the chair of a special committee appointed to look into allegations of bias Groeenwegen has levelled against the conflict of interest commissioner.

"It's probably in the interests of Ms. Groenewegen's privacy that we aren't just going through this looking for anything," said Yellowknife MLA Brendan Bell.

"There could be an adverse relationship between members and we don't want to further fuel any of that."

The clerk of the legislative assembly, David Hamilton, and legislative law clerk Katherine Peterson will review the entire tape and select only the portions that apply to the bias allegation for public release.

Commissioner Carol Roberts has asked for a copy of the entire tape. Bell said she, and the five MLAs who make up the committee, will hear only the parts of the tape that apply to the case.

Transcripts of at least one conversation on the tape will be released. The tape contains a conversation between principal secretary John Bayly and Roberts that was secretly recorded by Groenewegen.

Groenewegen resigned as deputy premier last week when members took exception to the tactic.

Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger, who is a member of the special committee, called the taping "unethical and immoral."

The committee will meet in September to hear from six witnesses: Groenewegen, Roberts, Bayly, Hay River businessman Jack Rowe (who filed the original conflict of interest complaint against Groenewegen), Groenewgen's constituency assistant Wendy Morgan, and CBC reporter Lee Selleck, who has indicated an unwillingness to testify, according to the committee.

Bell said the committee will focus on three things: the bias complaint, the circumstances surrounding the conflict commissioner's involvement in a story Selleck did that led to Rowe filing a complaint, and the taping of Bayly's conversation with Roberts.

Groenewegen withdrew her application to have Robert's removed from the case July 18, but maintained Roberts' actions give rise to "reasonable apprehensions of bias."

Roberts' report on Rowe's conflict of interest complaint was released last Tuesday. The commissioner recommended that as long as Groenewegen removed herself as director of three companies she has a financial interest in, no public inquiry is warranted.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi argued last week the report's release and the retraction of the bias complaint render the committee irrelevant.

Other MLAs argued the allegation of bias is still out there and needs to be dealt with. In a vote of 9-8, the committee was given a second life. It will report back by Oct. 23.