P.E.I. premier accused of conflict in proposed IT company visit

PC MLA Brad Trivers has written to P.E.I.'s Conflict of Interest Commissioner, accusing Premier Wade MacLauchlan of being in a conflict.

In the legislature Thursday, Trivers tabled government emails, dated October 2015, obtained under Freedom of Information legislation that show staff from the premier's office invited the visiting president of Ryerson University to tour Discovery Garden, a Charlottetown software company.

According to the premier's disclosure statement, he is a shareholder in that company. Trivers alleges the tour would have raised the profile of the company.

"Is this not abusing your office for the sake of your own personal financial gain?" Trivers asked in question period.

The premier responded his investment in the company has been put in a blind trust, and the invitation was part of his regular work as premier.

"I'm sure that the promotion of the activities in our province in the information technology sector is something that Islanders would want," MacLauchlan responded.

Afterwards, a government spokesperson said the proposed tour was meant to help develop the province's Startup Zone small business incubator, and added the tour never took place.

More P.E.I. news