Finance Minister Donna Harpauer was in Pinehouse in August 2016. (submitted photo/Saskatchewan Government)

By Derek Cornet

Fishing for answers after new financial disclosure on Harpauer trip to Pinehouse

Jul 17, 2019 | 5:29 PM

More questionable expenses have come to light regarding two personal trips Finance Minister Donna Harpauer and her partner made to the Northern Village of Pinehouse in 2016 and 2018.

The latest allegations come on the heels of a previous investigation in December 2018 when it was discovered the local municipal government paid for Harpauer’s accommodations on two separate occasions. At the time, she stated she thought the accommodations were paid for by a local friend – a village councillor. When she found out they weren’t, she personally reimbursed the village more than $800 and referred the matter to Saskatchewan’s Conflict of Interest commissioner, who ultimately found no wrongdoing.

Now, new documents shared with larongeNOW appear to show the Northern Village of Pinehouse also paid for boating guide services during those stays.

The first stay was for one night in August 2016, and included Harpauer and her partner. She did not attend the second trip in August 2018, but her partner and another person did. On both trips, Harpauer’s partner went fishing with friends.

According to receipts from the municipal government during those time periods, an additional $600 was allegedly paid to local resident John Jr. Durocher for boating guide services. But in an email to larongeNOW, a spokesperson for the provincial government said there was no understanding that the fishing trips were guided tours where expenses would be incurred, and it would be inappropriate for any expenses to be submitted as such.

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The email went on to say, “It is inappropriate for these expenses to be claimed by that individual, and to be reimbursed by the Northern Village of Pinehouse. As Minister Harpauer had no part or benefit in these false expense claims, she will not be repaying these expenses. We will be forwarding the information brought forward regarding these false expense claims to the inquiry officer responsible for the inquiry currently underway into the finances of the Northern Village of Pinehouse.”

Two invoices were submitted to the Northern Village of Pinehouse by Durocher in August and September 2016 amounting to $600. They were both marked as ‘minister visit-tour’ in the description. A third voucher dated Sept. 17, 2018, is for $300 and described as ‘traditional activities-guiding (two days guiding).’

larongeNOW reached out to Pinehouse Mayor Mike Natomagan to learn more about these bills but was unable to contact him.

The email from the provincial government confirmed the minister’s partner went fishing for half a day in August 2016 and two days in August 2018. But the email also states, Harpauer did not go fishing, nor did she or her partner even travel to Pinehouse Lake in September 2016.

“Minister Harpauer is surprised and disappointed that these expenses have been falsely claimed,” the email said.

The financial records were obtained by retired archivist and Saskatoon resident D’Arcy Hande who filed freedom of information requests. After Harpauer repaid the hotel stays, he believed there were likely other expenses also incurred during the trips.

“We wondered since she reimbursed the village for the hotel room when she found out it wasn’t a friend who was paying for it, [we] wondered whether she had also reimbursed the village or checked into who paid for the fishing guide service,” he said.

NDP Ethics and Democracy Critic David Forbes stated he was shocked to learn about the additional expenses, noting there apparently wasn’t full disclosure at the time of investigation with the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. He added Harpauer is a senior minister in the Saskatchewan Party government and should know such actions erodes public trust in the system.

“To that end, we’re going to be writing the Conflict of Interest Commissioner urging him to do a much more fuller investigation, and ask all the questions that need to be done to make sure we have a complete investigation and not be satisfied with half answers,” Forbes said. “We’re really disappointed this has come out.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno