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Roland Butler, Opposition Education Critic and MHA for the District of Port
de Grave, says it is time for government Ministers to disclose the location
and status of the infamous watch received by former Education Minister Tom
Hedderson in Qatar during a trip earlier this year. "The people of the
province have a right to know what the former Minister did with this watch
when he left the department," said Butler. "It was inappropriate for the
Minister to accept the gift in the first place and he later committed to
leave it with the department when he left. After being shuffled to the
Department of Tourism, Culture & Recreation for his mishandling of the
issue, it is now time for the Minister to disclose what happened to the
watch.
"If Mr. Hedderson did leave the watch with the department, I fully expect
the new Minister to have it appraised and determine what action will be
taken, hopefully donate it to charity. In the House of Assembly today, I
requested that the Minister have an independent appraisal conducted and the
findings tabled in the House for the public record. The new Minister laughed
at my question, but I want her to know that we are serious about this
request and government has an obligation to ensure that it is accountable to
the public. If Minister Hedderson took the watch with him as it appeared
during question period, he must explain why he misled the people by
promising to leave it with the department.
"There seems to be a double standard with respect to government Ministers
and employees accepting gifts. I think the Premier has an obligation to set
the record straight and state whether or not he feels it is appropriate for
Ministers to accept gifts in this manner. We treat this as a very serious
issue that requires attention from the new Minister of Education. Minister
Burke must disclose the location of the watch, determine its value and tell
the people of the province what she intends to do with it."
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