1d ago

Manitoba government asks auditor general to review daycare project connected to PC campaign director's company

www.cbc.ca /news/canada/manitoba/daycare-auditor-general-1.7518360

The province has asked Manitoba's auditor general to review a $100-million daycare construction project initiated by the previous Progressive Conservative government in partnership with a company which paid millions of dollars to a separate company co-owned by the director of the PCs' 2023 re-election campaign.

In 2022, the province announced a $70-million "partnership" which included John Q Public Inc., a company that is owned by 12 rural municipalities, which are listed as shareholders.

'The total project managed by John Q was valued at almost $100 million and may not have followed normal provincial or municipal procurement practices," says an April 16 letter from Brian O'Leary, deputy minister of education and early learning, to the auditor general, which was tabled during question period Thursday.

1 comments

This one's a little strange - I assume the province must have some information that they're not sharing, because it seems like there was at least one layer of separation between the government and the Boom Done Next (ugh) contract, and the company's co-owner says that Marni Larkin recused herself from the process.
This bit was interesting, though:
John Q's website says its profits are split between its shareholder municipalities. CBC News reached out to the 12 shareholders and only heard back from two.
The RM of Rosser said no money has been received so far by the municipality from John Q.
The RM of St Andrews says it also has not received any funds from John Q.
I don't know how much profit they're planning to make from day care centres...