Pallister mum on candidate flap

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This article was published 12/03/2016 (3815 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister wouldn’t comment Saturday on allegations one of his candidates for the upcoming election used a provincially funded Green Team to do yardwork at her home.

Pallister said St. Vital Tory candidate Colleen Mayer is already the subject of a complaint to the province’s elections commissioner.

“It’s an accusation, and there is a process,” Pallister said at the conclusion of a pre-election campaign rally at the Centro Caboto Centre featuring all 57 Tory candidates running in the April 19 election.

“I respect the process.”

Pallister said Mayer has a great reputation built up during years of working in the community. He then accused the NDP of fearmongering by saying a Tory government would cut teachers and civil servants.

He criticized the NDP for giving out “false allegations” and said that if his party is elected, he would lead a government that would “build a better Manitoba.”

On Saturday, the Free Press reported Mayer is being investigated after Elizabeth Dickson — a former intern at the Old St. Vital Business Improvement Zone, where Mayer served as executive director — accused her of holding meetings with her campaign manager at the BIZ office as well as fundraising activities there.

Mayer was also accused by other whistleblowers of having yardwork done at her Elm Park Road home, and flowers planted there, by Green Team workers after the Old St. Vital BIZ received a grant for a beautification project for public spaces in the area. A BIZ truck was parked in front of the home while the workers did the work.

Mayer said the board of the BIZ was supportive of her being a political candidate and knew how she was juggling both work and campaign duties. She said the accusations by the whistleblower were from “a disgruntled former employee.”

Earlier, to cheers from several hundred PC supporters, Pallister said his government would roll back the provincial sales tax to seven per cent.

“We believe Manitoba’s economic progress depends on more money on the kitchen table, not more money on the cabinet table,” he said. “Manitobans are a hard-working people, and they deserve a hard-working government.”

Pallister said his “better Plan for a Better Manitoba would make government more transparent, drop ambulance fees, commit to spending at least $1 billion on infrastructure annually and increase the number of personal care beds.”

“Both the Liberals and NDP believe Manitobans should work harder for the government,” he said. “We believe government should work harder for Manitobans.”

Later, in a media scrum, Pallister said he would pay for his promises by immediately ordering a review of government finances to look for “wasteful spending” and then use the savings to pay for front-line services.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca