Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 12/01) - Legislative conflict commissioner Carol Roberts came out swinging for the conclusion of her war of words with cabinet member Jane Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen: Arvay calls her bias allegation against the commissioner "patently ridiculous" and "spurious."

Roberts' lawyer, Joseph Arvay, called the health minister's bias allegation against the commissioner "patently ridiculous" and "spurious." Arvay stated Groenewegen's conduct was "dishonourable in several respects."

Because the committee wanted to wrap up its hearing of the complaint Sept. 22, final submissions were made in writing.

Groenewegen's lawyer, Sheila Greckol, wrote that Robert's concluding remarks "are inflammatory and ought to be disregarded.

"The committee may want wish to consider whether such extreme language constitutes an abuse of the protection of parliamentary privilege," Greckol added.

Arvay said testimony from the five-day hearing revealed Groenewegen refused to accept advice or even acknowledge that she may have made mistakes.

Groenewegen's conduct "demonstrates the minister's arrogant and self-centred attitudes," concluded Arvay.

"It is these attitudes which underlie the unfounded bias and other hurtful allegations that have been made."

Greckol, meanwhile, re-iterated Groenewegen's argument specifically that the minister had good reason to be concerned about her chances of getting a fair hearing from the conflict commissioner.

She also contended that Roberts misled the committee by stating she was not told by a CBC reporter that Groenewegen remained a director of her businesses.

Groenewegen secretly recorded two conversations with the commissioner because she felt she was "in peril," Greckol said.

On one of those recordings, Roberts is heard discussing the reporter's claim that Groenewegen was still a company director.

In her report on the conflict-of-interest complaint from which the bias allegation flowed, Roberts wrote that though Groenewegen had violated the act, the violation was inadvertent.

The commissioner said Groenewegen could resolve the matter simply by removing herself as a director of her companies.

The day the report was released, Premier Stephen Kakfwi said it "seems to be fair-handed, even-handed. So if there was apprehension, there is no substance to back that up, in my view."

Citing a 1978 Supreme Court of Canada precedent, Arvay argued the person alleging apprehension of bias must prove that any reasonable, well-informed person would have such apprehensions.

The special committee appointed to report on the bias allegation is to report back to the assembly on Oct. 23.