Justice Minister Ross Landry said he will appear before a public accounts committee “if it’s necessary.”
“I’m not sure what the issue is to go there and have a discussion,” he said Thursday. “But whatever I’m required to do within my job I will comply.”
The province’s public accounts requested Wednesday the Department of Justice deliver information on inmates at the Central Nova Correctional Facility given weekend passes to serve their time at home.
The justice department has three weeks to comply.
Former Justice Minister Cecil Clarke offered to appear before the committee, which he also sits on, as a witness. Clarke asserts he had no knowledge of weekend passes being given.
Landry said the day-to-day workings of the Burnside jail are not something the justice minister should meddle in. But now that he’s been made aware of the issue, Landry said the question becomes: What comes next?
“The issue that I’m faced with now is what am I going to do about the situation we’re in.”
