Atcon Breach Must Also Be Referred to Public Prosecutor

Fredericton – David Coon, MLA Fredericton South and Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick is repeating his call for the government to refer the report of the Auditor General concerning Atcon to the Office of Public Prosecutions, as it has done for the report of the Right to Information Commissioner concerning the Larry’s Gulch Affair.

The Right to Information Commissioner found that the actions of two former Deputy Ministers to conceal information from the public, constituted an offence under paragraphs 82(1)(e) and 82(1)(f) of the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. On Tuesday, July 7th, the government asked the Office of Public Prosecutions to determine whether charges are warranted.

In her March report, the Auditor General found that the cabinet decision to amend the province’s security position regarding its loan guarantee for Atcon violated regulation 82-197, Section 4(c) under the Economic Development Act.

“In both cases, officers of the Legislative Assembly concluded that senior officials had violated provincial law,” said Coon. “The Office of Public Prosecutions should determine if charges are warranted in both the Larry’s Gulch and Atcon affairs.”

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