Premier Pat Binns today received the report from the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner into the involvement of Honourable Mitch Murphy, Provincial Treasurer and Murcon Construction Limited and offered the following comments:
“I have received the report by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner regarding the involvement of Hon. Mitch Murphy with Murcon Construction Limited.
“The Commissioner has made three conclusions:
1) That the Minister is not in a conflict of interest within the meaning of the Act;
2) That the Minister contravened the Act in not disclosing his directorship and shareholdings in Murcon Construction. For this contravention of the Act, I recommend that the Legislative Assembly issue a reprimand to the Minister.
3) That the Minister, as soon as it is practicable, resign his directorship and divest himself of all shares in Murcon Construction Limited.
“I have forwarded a copy of the report to the Speaker of the Legislature, so that he may make the report public immediately. I intend to lay the report before the Legislative Assembly for the consideration of the recommendations at the next sitting.
“Minister Murphy insisted he was not active in the company nor did he benefit in any way and this report confirms those facts. He has taken full responsibility for this failure to disclose and he has told me he will accept the recommendations of the report. I thank Commissioner Neil Robinson for his deliberate and detailed findings.”