Zinck’s severance held up by Speaker’s office

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government is holding back $51,000 in severance for an Independent politician who pleaded guilty to fraud and breach of trust in the province’s spending scandal.

Trevor Zinck resigned Wednesday after hearing he would lose the transitional funding to close his constituency office if he was expelled from the legislature, which had been recalled to deal with his status as a sitting member.

But Speaker Gordie Gosse says his office and the Finance Department have agreed to hold back the funding until officials can determine whether Zinck owes the government any money.

Goose says if money is owed, it will be taken from the severance by the province and whatever remains will be given to Zinck.

Zinck had said he didn’t want to lose the money partly because a woman he employs as an assistant at his constituency office would be out of a job with no pay.

But Gosse says that’s not the case because the employee is paid from a separate fund administered by his office.