Questions surround Sask. spending on U.S. lobbying

REGINA – New attention is being drawn to Premier Brad Wall’s most recent trip to Washington, DC.

A report published Monday in the Toronto Star sheds light on contributions made to U.S. Members of Congress by a law firm under contract to the province.

The contract has cost Saskatchewan taxpayers $3 million so far.

In several cases, the report says payments by Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough closely followed a meeting with Wall.

Despite that, Wall said there is no concern his access was bought.

“The first I’ve heard about the timeliness of donations to meetings was today,” Wall told reporters in Regina on Monday, denying ever discussing political donations during his meetings in Washington. “We’re going to make sure any agent we have is following the rules that are prescribed in the United States.”

Wall’s trips to Capitol Hill over the last five years have covered a range of topics, from the Keystone XL pipeline to country-of-origin labeling. The premier freely admits those doors have been opened by Nelson Mullins.

The timing is fishy, according to opposition NDP leader Cam Broten.

“That ought to do more than just raise eyebrows, that ought to require this government to ask very serious questions and it’s shocking to me they would not have been asking those questions already,” said Broten.

It’s not uncommon to hire a lobby firm to make connections south of the border. Other provinces, such as Alberta, even staff their own offices in Washington.

Political analysts say Saskatchewan might actually be at a disadvantage if it didn’t contract a firm in the U.S. capital.

“If you’re Brad Wall … and you go and start trying to set up meetings in Washington, you’re not going to get very far without someone to open doors for you,” said Jim Farney, University of Regina political scientist.

Farney believes the U.S. Lobbying Disclosure Act has often been up for interpretation.

“We have lunch, I write you a cheque, you agree for a vote. That’s illegal. (But if) we have lunch, we have a discussion, you find my face convincing, I write you a cheque, it’s just happenstance,” Farney said, adding there should be a clear understanding of what services Saskatchewan is paying for.

Wall said Monday his government would not pay U.S. lawmakers for their influence, but he admitted that specific point may not have been made with the firm in question.

Nelson Mullins responded with a statement, saying its donations have “nothing whatsoever” to do with meetings in Washington.