By CJME News Staff

RCMP: no criminal charges in government GTH land deal

Jul 25, 2018 | 2:50 PM

The RCMP has concluded there is not enough evidence to lay criminal charges in the controversial land deal involving the Global Transportation Hub (GTH).

The investigation the RCMP described as “highly complex” has wrapped up after two years.

Superintendent Paul Saganski explained the investigation focused on offences related to fraud, public mischief and corruption, but found no evidence of any crime.

Saganski said it was a meticulous investigation with thousands of documents examined.

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In 2015, the province had the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) buy 204 acres of land west of Regina to be used for the hub and for the Regina bypass. The land changed hands three times between March 2012 and April 2014 before the GTH bought it for $103,000 per acre, which added up to about $21 million. The Ministry of Highways then bought the land from the Crown Corp, GTH, for as much as $65,000 per acre for one package, and $50,000 for another.

Nearby land was being sold for $9,000 to $23,000 at the time, while the  NDP said the government appraised the land at $35,000.

The situation prompted calls by the NDP opposition for a provincial audit and full investigation.

Former Saskatchewan Party MLA and minister responsible for the GTH, Bill Boyd released a letter from the conflict of interest commissioner stating there was no conflict of interest, despite the fact his seed company had former business dealings with the original buyer of the land, Robert Tappauf. Boyd said he had never met Tappauf.

In February 2016, former premier Brad Wall asked the provincial auditor to open an investigation into the controversial GTH land deal.

Provincial Auditor Judy Ferguson released her report into the matter in June 2016 concluding “the audit did not find evidence of conflicts of interest, or indications of fraud or wrongdoing.” The report did highlight a long list of mismanagement and lack of processes in the sale.

The NDP questioned the scope of the audit, which found there may have been a breach of cabinet confidentiality while the land deal was being negotiated.

The RCMP began looking into the GTH land deal in November 2016.