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An aerial image of the Northern Village of Pinehouse. (pinehouselake.ca)
municipal investigation

Pinehouse investigation may impact housing funding

Dec 9, 2019 | 5:00 PM

The ongoing provincial investigation into the northern Village of Pinehouse could have an impact on future housing projects there.

As the detailed inquiry and audit into the administration’s finances and governance continues, the Ministry of Social Services said future projects would not move forward until the matter is concluded and the village addresses aspects in the report. The report is expected by the end of the year.

Funds for housing projects

In an email to paNOW, Tim Gross, executive director of housing development with the ministry said they had “communicated to the village and its subsidiaries that we are unable to move forward with making any further funding commitments to future projects until the review is complete, and they have addressed items identified resulting from the inquiry.”

paNOW has heard of concerns within the community that parts of the economy, like housing construction, had stalled because of the inquiry, but the ministry said the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation did not have any current projects in the funding stage so no funding had ceased.

The probe at Pinehouse was prompted by a scathing report from the Privacy and Information Commissioner in 2018 pointing to a lack of cooperation and non-compliance to Freedom of Information requests over many years regarding the village’s finances and governance.

A leaked report earlier this year following an initial inspection of the village included a recommendation the mayor, Mike Natomagen and one councillor, Conrad Misponas, be removed from office. Following that initial inspection, a full investigation including an audit was ordered and the administration has been under special supervision for many months.

The government has not commented on any of the initial findings but said it was confident in the actions being taken to address the concerns raised by the provincial privacy commissioner.

Community skepticism

Some people in the community remain skeptical the report will lead to any meaningful changes.

“I don’t notice any change [since the investigation started] except they’re still in power and they’re waiting for another election and they’re still in full control …and the government is supporting them,” John Smerek, a resident for over 40 years and local business owner told paNOW.

Earlier this year Saskatchewan’s Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer recused herself from discussions involving the Village of Pinehouse. In recent years she accepted two gifts of hotel stays from Pinehouse councillor Misponas who is also a friend. It was later determined those gifts were paid for by the village. The province’s conflict of interest commissioner later determined Harpauer had not been in conflict.

Smerek said he had no hope the final report from the provincial investigator would answer the community’s questions regarding any financial impropriety in the village.

“No. We want a leadership that represents the community members. The leaders are just thinking of themselves saying they’re moving forward but our people are still living in poverty. They speak of the elders and youth but never are elders and youth brought together so they can share their information with each other.”

Administration overwhelmed

The village administrator Martine Smith previously told paNOW they have nothing to hide, and said she did not have the resources to handle the abundance of Freedom of Information requests that came through her office.

Smith said last month she believed the village had been able to assist in the inquiry process but added they would not give any statements until everything was complete.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

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