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This article was published 18/6/2015 (1921 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Selinger government believes it will be absolved of fumbling a controversial $5-million deal to acquire flood-fighting equipment for First Nations by asking the ombudsman to reopen an investigation kicked off last year by a whistleblower’s complaint.

The pitch to the ombudsman was decided late Thursday by Premier Greg Selinger as the best way to not only clear the air regarding the deal, but to staunch the criticism aimed at Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton.

"I don’t have a problem with the ombudsman reviewing it again," Selinger said. "There’s lots of potential there for them to confirm what really happened in terms of the internal process."

Selinger said chief bureaucrat Milton Sussman would ask ombudsman Charlene Paquin to do the review.

Ashton said the ombudsman would ultimately absolve him and the government of fumbling the file.

"I’ve really tried to be upfront," Ashton said. "I think it’s quite legitimate the ombudsman revisits this November (2014) to June (2015) and make sure that things have been done appropriately. I welcome it."

It’s not immediately known whether the ombudsman will have access to confidential cabinet minutes as part of that review.

What also limits the ombudsman is that under its own legislation, it’s not allowed to investigate any decision by cabinet or Treasury Board, the committee that oversees spending.

Ashton has been under fire for his involvement in the government approval of $5-million worth of flood-fighting equipment for the Interlake Tribal Council, to be used as part of a rapid response to protect about 30 flood-prone First Nations.

Selinger’s and Ashton’s request for the ombudsman’s review comes after the Free Press revealede a government whistleblower raised serious questions about the flood-tube deal, and alleged Ashton tied to get the deal approved last fall by circumventing the normal Treasury Board approval process, and was in a possible conflict of interest because of his friendship with restauranteur Peter Ginakes, the Manitoba seller of the Tiger Dam flood protection system.

The deal, and how it was handled by Selinger, is said to be one of the top reasons why five ministers resigned in protest of his leadership last November. Three of those ministers sat on the committee that handles government spending and refused to approve the deal without it going to public tender. The deal only went to tender in December after the whistleblower’s complaint was forwarded to government to take action.

The tender was never awarded, despite the government saying the deal was a matter of urgency to protect First Nations from flooding.

Ashton said he has done nothing wrong and has not abused his position as a government minister.

However, Ashton appeared at a news event two years ago at the downtown Pony Corral Restaurant to endorse the Tiger Dam, which is produced by U.S. Flood Control Corp.

The Pony Corral is owned by Ginakes, who owns the rights to sell Tiger Dams in Manitoba, and is an acquaintance of Ashton’s.

Ashton said he would do the same for any flood-control product.

"I’m not involved in any way, shape or form with this company," Ashton said regarding the maker of Tiger Dams.

In the legislature Thursday, Selinger continued to defend Ashton and his government’s handling of the flood-tube deal.

The controversy took up the majority of question period on a day that was supposed to focus on Selinger’s apology on behalf of the province to the survivors of the Sixties Scoop and their families.

Under repeated questions from Opposition Leader Brian Pallister and Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard, Selinger said his government handled the matter appropriately, and that he personally directed the file go to public tender at an October cabinet meeting before the whistleblower’s complaint became known to government a month later.

"I supported a proper process of competition, a tendering process, for any acquisition of equipment," Selinger said in the house.

Pallister said there is no evidence to support that Selinger wanted the flood-tube purchase to go to tender other than his word.

"And given his record I submit to him that that is a questionable quality of evidence," Pallister said.

Gerrard said the auditor general — not the ombudsman — should review the entire flood-tube deal, specifically to look into whether Ashton is in a conflict of interest because of his friendship with Ginakes.

"The fact that we have what appears to be a commitment without Treasury Board approval or without tendering" should be investigated by the auditor general," Gerrard said.

The day began with a raucous NDP caucus meeting in which the five MLAs who resigned their ministerial duties, in protest over Selinger’s continued leadership, were accused of leaking confidential government documents to the media.

The bad blood between the government factions was evident when Pallister stood in the house and blasted the premier about whether he, too, supported Ashton and the untendered flood-tube deal.

Generally, when the premier speaks in the house, all government MLAs pay attention -- but not on Thursday, especially among the five ministers who resigned.

Former economy minister Theresa Oswald, former health minister Erin Selby and former finance minister Jennifer Howard often turned away.

Former justice minister Andrew Swan and former municipal government minister Stan Struthers sat with stone faces.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @fpbowen