Province denies it had contract with consultant who filed whistleblower complaint
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Manitoba’s government has denied it had an agreement with an information technology consultant who alleged in a lawsuit provincial officials failed to renew his contract after he filed a whistleblower complaint.
David Morash, who’s from Nova Scotia, filed a statement of claim in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench in July, claiming the government breached whistleblower legislation and a contract with his company, after he said he raised concerns over the province’s handling of a major software project.
In a statement of defence filed late last month, the Manitoba government argued it did not breach any law or contract.
The province’s court papers say the government did not have an agreement with Morash or his company directly, but rather an IT resource agreement with the consultant for whom Morash’s company worked.
“At no time did Manitoba have an agreement with Morash or… (his) company,” reads the province’s court papers.
Morash was contracted in 2023 by a computing consultant, PrecisionERP, which was working for the province. He was tasked to manage an information technology project updating and integrating data processing and software programs into a single system for the provincial government, his court papers said.
Morash’s lawsuit claims the contract wasn’t renewed this year because he disclosed information to the Manitoba ombudsman in August last year, alleging “gross mismanagement” in the province’s handling of the software project.
The government denied any wrongdoing in its handling of the contract renewal and says it had no knowledge of Morash’s communications with the consultant.
The province said it does not admit nor deny Morash’s allegations that there was wrongdoing in the government department, arguing whistleblower protection legislation bars disclosing such information in civil court proceedings.
The government argues Morash is not entitled to damages, as sought in his lawsuit.
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
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