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NS: Former NS Liberal Leader Gets Big Pay Day Thanks to Contract From McNeil Government

Author: Kevin Lacey 2017/03/16
Blog Nova Scotia
 
·      CTF Calls on McNeil Government to cancel “sweetheart deal” it made with former Liberal Leader
 
HALIFAX, NS: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the McNeil government to cancel an $800,000 contract with Engage Nova Scotia after new documents obtained through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act shows the organization is projected to pay a former Liberal leader $13,584 a month. 
 
According to the provincial government’s contract with Engage Nova Scotia, they’re supposed to consult citizens and help achieve the goals of the Ivany Commission.   
 
Danny Graham is the Chief Engagement Officer of Engage Nova Scotia, a Special Advisor with McInnes Cooper (a law firm in Halifax) and the former leader of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. Engage Nova Scotia was committed $400,000 between December 2014 and March 31, 2016. An agreement signed on April 19th, 2016 committed taxpayers to a maximum of $400,000 in 2016-17 and 2017-18. On top of the cash payments Engage Nova Scotia also received, at taxpayer expense, three office staff on loan from the government bureaucracy, free rent in government offices and a full complement of office equipment. 
 
If the goal was to engage Nova Scotians and further the aims and objectives of the Ivany Commission then this contract has failed on every level. If the former Liberal leader thinks this is such a valuable project he should have to fund the organization and his big salary without taxpayer dollars.
 
The CTF reported back in June that Engage Nova Scotia got special treatment after it failed to raise the matching dollars from the private sector they’d committed to under their previous contract with the government. As a result the Liberal government changed the agreement to ensure Engage got more money than they would have been entitled to. 
 
The CTF is urging the government to invoke clause 16 of the agreement which allows the government to cancel the deal with one-month’s notice. 
 
Halifax Regional Municipality has also committed $100,000 to Engage Nova Scotia between 2016-2018. 
 
A copy of the “cash flow projection” which shows the amounts projected to be paid paid to former Liberal Leader Graham can be found HERE.
 
A copy of the financial statements for Engage Nova Scotia for December 31, 2014, March 31st, 2015 HERE 
 
A copy of the April 19th, 2016 contract between the Province of Nova Scotia and Engage Nova Scotia can be found HERE. 
 
A copy of the amended contract with between the Province of Nova Scotia and Engage Nova Scotia can be found HERE.
 
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