NDP’s David Eby goes for Amrik Virk’s jugular, but Virk sticks to his guns

Photo by Chandra Bodalia
Photo by Chandra Bodalia

BY RATTAN MALL 

NDP MLA David Eby this week alleged that new documents obtained under Freedom of Information reveal how Citizens’ Services Minister Amrik Virk misled a Ministry of Finance investigation into executive compensation practices at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU).

He then went on to allege in rather strong terms that Virk was not being honest.

When I called the NDP to point out that their press release could be libel, an NDP spokesperson told me that he had checked with the party and was told that it had been thoroughly vetted by the legal guys. He also noted that Eby himself is a lawyer.

When I approached the Liberal Party for Virk’s comment on the allegations in the press release, Melody Wey, Communications Manager in Virk’s ministry, emailed me: “What I can tell you is that the Minister has previously responded to this line of questioning. The Minister has been on record saying that all questions relating to his role as a voluntary board member of that university were answered to the best of his ability at the time. His response remains the same.”

Eby said that the NDP was forwarding all documents to the Auditor General and requesting a new audit of KPU that would include all newly discovered documents and information.