(Mayor Mike Natomagan. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski.)
A Saskatoon man says he can’t understand why the government continues to drag its feet on conducting a formal investigation into a small northern community for repeated non compliance with freedom of information requests.
Over the years, D’Arcy Hande has made a number of Access to Information requests to the Village of Pinehouse but with little success.
He has also filed a number of complaints with Saskatchewan’s Information and Privacy Commissioner who has often agreed saying the northern village has not met its legal obligations to provide the public with proper access to its municipal affairs.
In a scathing report released Nov. 19, Information and Privacy Commissioner Ronald Kruzeniski says key members of the Pinehouse municipal government have been actively obstructing access to information requests for years and the government needs to conduct an investigation.
However, now almost three weeks later, Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding still won’t commit to such an investigation in spite of very clear direction from Kruzeniski.
In a Dec. 6 letter to Hande, Kaeding writes he is still in the process of meeting with the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the province has not made a final decision as to what it will do.
Hande says he is starting to believe there may larger forces at play amidst all the delays and feet dragging by the government.
He says it is no secret key members of the Pinehouse municipal government have strong ties to the Saskatchewan Party and he believes someone within government may be helping the northern village prepare for an investigation and this is why Kaeding is trying to buy more time.
“The way the provincial ministry keeps dragging its feet and the way the village administration has responded, the appearance is that the village leadership is being coached by somebody in government, or on behalf of the government, as to how to respond.”
Members of the Pinehouse leadership have been active supporters of the Sask. Party over the years.
Pinehouse Mayor Mike Natomagan and Vince Natomagan, another key player in village affairs, have donated money to the Sask. Party.
This week the Legislative Assembly learned the government recently appointed Vince Natomagan to the board of Northlands College despite Natomagan’s lengthy criminal record including a conviction of domestic assault last month.
He was also going to seek the Sask. Party nomination in the northern constituency of Athabasca in the 2016 election but later withdrew.
The government has since removed Vince Natomagan from the Northlands College Board.
Other Pinehouse business development associated entities are also Sask. Party donors.