The Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives are taking the McNeil government to court.
Tim Houston announced they’re suing the province at the PC Party’s annual general meeting today (Sunday).
“We’re taking the government to court to find out how much taxpayer money is being paid as a management fee for the management of Bay Ferries.”
At issue is a Freedom of Information request the PCs submitted in May 2016, asking for the Yarmouth ferry contract.
The Liberals sent back a redacted file, which Houston displayed at the AGM.
The PCs appealed the decision and in December 2018 the Privacy Commissioner ruled the information should be made public, but the province still didn’t release the contract.
Houston says current laws don’t provide the privacy commissioner with enough power.
“The privacy commissioner can’t force the information so the government is abusing this process, that’s a weakness in the laws that needs to be addressed but what we also know is that the Liberals will continue their secretive ways until someone stops them,” he says.
The province has been criticized for information and privacy issues on several occasions since taking power in 2013, most recently by the Auditor General and privacy commissioner herself.
Houston plans to file a Notice of Appeal at the Nova Scotia Supreme Court at 10 tomorrow (Monday) morning.
File photo.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca
