New Brunswick’s attorney general has confirmed that an independent investigation into alleged misuse of a provincially owned fishing lodge will go forward.
Attorney General Serge Rousselle said on Wednesday that a retired RCMP officer has been hired to conduct the probe.
“The person will be inquiring about the uses, if there was not good uses of the Larry's Gulch place,” Rousselle said.
He said the investigation will look into use by the province’s most recent governments, and possibly beyond.
When asked about whether the probe could result in charges, Rousselle was vague.
He also would not commit to making the investigator’s report public.
It came to light earlier this year that Larry’s Gulch, a government-owned fishing lodge on the Restigouche River, may have had its guest lists altered at the request of a staff member of the former Alward government.
On Wednesday, Green Party Leader David Coon said the probe should extend as far back as records allow.
“There should be no time limit on determining whether there's been abuse or not, and no time limit on compensation of the public purse if there has been abuse,” Coon said.
The Opposition Tories struck a different chord, wondering aloud why the fishing camp had sparked so much interest when there was none in investigating the Atcon loan fiasco.
"It absolutely astounds me that you would have such a frenzy over a couple of rubber chicken dinners, some free salmon flies and a canoe ride,” said PC MLA Ted Flemming.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Andy Campbell
