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Boot Oswald from cabinet for breaking law: Tories
Theresa Oswald (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store
The Conservatives called for Health Minister Theresa Oswald's removal from cabinet Thursday over a finding this week by the province's commissioner of elections she had broken the law.
Premier Greg Selinger immediately rejected that notion, saying Oswald has done "an excellent job" in her portfolio.
Earlier this week, elections commissioner Bill Bowles ruled the NDP broke election advertising rules when government officials invited two media outlets to tour a new birthing centre on St. Mary's Road in the days leading up to last fall's election campaign. Oswald and Education Minister Nancy Allan took the tour provided by the executive director of the Women's Health Clinic.
Oswald apologized for the transgression on Wednesday, when the ruling came to light. She said she had been unaware she was breaching the Election Finance Act by inviting the media along on the tour.
Manitoba law forbids government advertising during the 90 days leading up to an election. The tour was held Aug. 31, just days before the Oct. 4 election campaign officially kicked off. Manitoba now has fixed provincial election dates.
Under intense questioning in the legislature Thursday, Selinger said Oswald has "accepted full responsibility for the unintentional breaching" of election rules.
"The responsibility for breaching the act we accept entirely, 100 per cent. Apologies have been made. The public is made aware of this," the premier said.
There is no penalty for breaching the section of the act the NDP contravened.
But Opposition Leader Hugh McFadyen said Thursday that "when a cabinet minister breaks a law, there has to be a consequence."
He said he expected Selinger to take some action. "Regular Manitobans face consequences when they break the law. NDP cabinet ministers should also face consequences."
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 4, 2012 A5
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