N.B. officials attended NCAA games courtesy of firm awarded public grant money
Former Higgs adviser Yennah Hurley among those who attended 'Final Four' basketball event in Phoenix
Civil servants with the New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture attended basketball games in Arizona in April, using tickets supplied by a company that has received grant money from the department, CBC News has learned.
Four Tourism Department staff members, including deputy minister Yennah Hurley, travelled to Phoenix for five days to attend events around the Final Four of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament.
During that trip, according to information pieced together by CBC News, the group accepted tickets worth hundreds of dollars to attend basketball games, including the national championship game that concludes "March Madness."
According to Bruce Macfarlane, New Brunswick's acting director of media relations, the trip to Phoenix was made in support of a basketball event the company On Ice Entertainment held in Moncton last year and is trying to stage again this fall.
The event, called Atlantic Slam, involves recruiting four of the 362 Division 1 U.S. college men's basketball teams to travel to Moncton to play against one another in a weekend mini tournament.
Last year, teams from Yale University, Colgate University, Weber State University and Gardner-Webb University participated.
Macfarlane said tourism officials, as well as at least two officials from the City of Moncton, attended an NCAA trade show held in the Phoenix area during the basketball finals to promote Atlantic Slam and help On Ice Entertainment find teams for this year's Moncton event.
Canadian
basketball centre Zach Edey of the Purdue University Boilermakers
leaves the floor after his team lost the championship game of the NCAA
Final Four basketball tournament in April. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
"The Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture was invited by the On Ice Entertainment to attend the National Basketball Association Conference and Final 4 Meetings/Events," wrote Macfarlane.
During the trip, Macfarlane said, the provincial delegation "met with NCAA officials, coaches and players" with a goal "to ensure that top teams are being secured for the 2024 NCAA Atlantic Slam event."
The Final Four is a major American sporting spectacle staged annually by the NCAA. It has television ratings similar to baseball's World Series and begins with 68 college men's basketball teams playing single elimination games in March and April until four teams are left.
Those four teams play off in a host city to determine a national collegiate men's basketball champion during a long weekend that includes two semifinal games and the championship game.
Records show Hurley's personal bill for flights, accommodations, meals and other expenses to attend the event in Phoenix totalled $5,188.
However, there were no expense receipts submitted for attending basketball games.
Macfarlane said tourism officials did attend games while in Phoenix but with tickets that were supplied by On Ice Entertainment. He said they were given to the Moncton city officials, who then distributed them to the New Brunswick delegation.
"On Ice Entertainment provided entry to all associated activities, at the National Association of Basketball Coaches convention, trade show and its associated activities including the Final Four, for the department to learn how to improve the Moncton event," wrote Macfarlane.
Conflict of interest rules
The province has not supplied information about the value of tickets received. But according to the website TicketIQ, the cheapest price available on "secondary" reselling markets to attend the two semifinal games held on Saturday, April 5, was $501 US.
Listed prices for tickets to the championship game between the University of Connecticut and Purdue University held on Monday, April 7, started at $221 US on secondary markets, according to TicketIQ.
That is a potential issue, given New Brunswick conflict of interest rules.
Those rules discourage civil servants from accepting a "reward, gift or favour of any kind" from parties that deal with the province and that "could reasonably be deemed to influence the employees in the performance of their duties."
On Ice Entertainment has a financial relationship with the province, with the Tourism Department approving a $50,000 grant for the company to help it stage Atlantic Slam this year.
Charles Murray, who handles conflict of interest issues for MLAs as New Brunswick's integrity commissioner, said by legislation, any gift to an elected official of more than $250 has to be reviewed by his office.
Rules are not that explicit for civil servants and are not subject to supervision by Murray. However, he said in his view, if civil servants feel there is a public benefit to be gained from attending an event, like a basketball game, they should be paying for tickets themselves and billing the government for the expense.
No comment from company's owner
"If there is some event we need them to attend in order to inform themselves to make a proper decision, we must correspondingly accept that we collectively need to pay for it," Murray wrote in an email, in response to questions from CBC News.
"We should not fall into the error of thinking that if a private interest offers to step in and pay the costs, they have 'saved the public a cost.' The risk is that we are allowing the decision-maker's interest to be diverted in part from the public interest."
On Ice Entertainment is run by Canadian sports entrepreneur John Graham. He did not respond to requests for information about this story or about apparent planning problems with this year's Atlantic Slam.
As of last week, no U.S. college basketball teams had yet been announced as coming to Moncton, despite New Brunswick tourism officials travelling to Arizona to ensure top teams were recruited.
Atlantic Slam is scheduled to begin on Nov. 15.
A similar event being held in Lethbridge, Alta., in late November by On Ice Entertainment, called Western Slam, announced its four U.S. college teams in June.
Macfarlane offered no immediate explanation of how civil servants accepting tickets to a major sporting event from a company that receives grant money from the province might be allowed under New Brunswick's conflict of interest rules.
He also had no information about whether the Arizona trip played a role in a sudden change in leadership responsibilities at the Department of Tourism last month.
On Sept. 25, a memo sent on behalf of Cheryl Hansen, New Brunswick's top civil servant, notified Tourism Department staff that "effective immediately," Dan Mills, the deputy minister for post-secondary education, training and labour, would be assuming responsibility for "all Tourism, Heritage and Culture files."
"I know that Mr. Mills will have your usual support and collaboration as he takes on these additional duties," read the memo, which gave no reason for the change.
Mills was assigned to take over from Hurley, who has been the deputy minister of the Tourism Department since 2020.
Macfarlane said Hurley still holds that job, although Mills is now performing its functions.
"Yennah Hurley is the deputy minister of tourism, heritage and culture. Dan Mills is interim deputy minister of tourism heritage and culture," he wrote.
Change in leadership
Hurley did not respond to messages seeking information on what has happened at the department, and Macfarlane could not say whether the shift in leadership responsibilities was initiated by Hurley for personal reasons or imposed by the government for other reasons.
"We do not comment on personnel," wrote Macfarlane in response to inquiries about that issue.
Hurley is a unique figure in the New Brunswick civil service, with ties to Blaine Higgs.
She is a former small adventure business operator and travel blogger who was hired by Higgs in 2019 as a personal adviser. She was given what began as a two-year consulting contract to evaluate work in the Tourism Department and report directly to the premier's office
A year later, half way through that contract, she was named the department's deputy minister.
Earlier this year, Hurley was involved in a separate travel controversy when it was revealed she spent $12,328 on an eight-day trip to London and Paris in 2023 that included visits to Versailles, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and a ride on the London Eye.
Opposition Liberals criticized the trip in the legislature when it became public this spring, and Higgs said they were right to be concerned,
"Trips need to be value-added," Higgs said in the legislature about the European trip that also included Tourism Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace.
"I'm asking questions too. We will be evaluating our current practices and the rules that govern them."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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"Hurley did not respond to messages seeking information on what has happened at the department, and Macfarlane could not say whether the shift in leadership responsibilities was initiated by Hurley for personal reasons or imposed by the government for other reasons.
"We do not comment on personnel," wrote Macfarlane in response to inquiries about that issue.
Hurley is a unique figure in the New Brunswick civil service, with ties to Blaine Higgs."
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"Records show Hurley's personal bill for flights, accommodations, meals and other expenses to attend the event in Phoenix totalled $5,188.
However, there were no expense receipts submitted for attending basketball games. "
Reply to David Amos
Reply to David Amos
Reply to David Amos
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David Amos
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cbc-mandate-review-1.7341700
David Amos
Reply to Lou Bell
Reply to Lou Bell
Uh huh. So, the conflict of interest rules don't matter? Nice to see that whether it's Liberals or Conservatives in power, some things never change.
Reply to Bob de trelleg
Not quite at the same level as Higgs’ minister Wallace-Scott’s European adventure and Higgs justifying it by telling NB citizens that Macron is coming to NB lol. Higgs has no game at the provincial level let alone globally. Higgs is not credible so whatever
David Amos
Reply to John Lawrence
C'est Vrai Why else would I run against him?
Has an example "St.John is the capital of NB"
Cons reward loyalty and nothing else. Work done for wages is you being on the take.
David Amos
I expected better from our "Gas Guru", to say i'm disappointed in this hatchet job would be an understatement.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
You know no fan of our "Gas Guru" However this lawyer is a Conservative so how is this a "hatchet job"???
"Charles Murray, who handles conflict of interest issues for MLAs as New Brunswick's integrity commissioner, said by legislation, any gift to an elected official of more than $250 has to be reviewed by his office.
Rules are not that explicit for civil servants and are not subject to supervision by Murray. However, he said in his view, if civil servants feel there is a public benefit to be gained from attending an event, like a basketball game, they should be paying for tickets themselves and billing the government for the expense.
"If there is some event we need them to attend in order to inform themselves to make a proper decision, we must correspondingly accept that we collectively need to pay for it," Murray wrote in an email, in response to questions from CBC News.
"We should not fall into the error of thinking that if a private interest offers to step in and pay the costs, they have 'saved the public a cost.' The risk is that we are allowing the decision-maker's interest to be diverted in part from the public interest."
Reply to David Amos
Reply to Ed Armstrong
Reply to Ed Armstrong
This is a hit piece.
The gov folks CLEARLY travelled to meet with an entertainment company and basketball teams to come to NB for a tournament.
They got free tickets to a game. As do so many community groups, charities, etc.
I don't see what the issue is here, folks.
There is no conflict of interest - because the "interest" WAS clear, in pursuing these basketball teams and the promoter to stage a show in NB.
Reply to Cecile Smith
The majority recognize it for what it is, but the left has to have something to hang onto.
Reply to Cecile Smith
The problem is that the delegates can appear to be beholden to the company that gave them the tickets.
Reply to Pa Ess
The tickets were less than the $250 threshold, so not an issue until someone wanted to make it a political gotcha story. I fail to see the problem with spending $5000 for the potential $100k revenue from the event.
Reply to Cecile Smith
The entertainment company given a $50k grant?
Reply to Cecile Smith
Nope
Fortunately for N.B.ers ,Premier Higgs is pretty strict on wasteful spending , so doubtful if he would put up with it as his own expense account spending is extremely low. During Dominic Cardy's brief time as Minister of Education , he took quite a number of Principal's and other Education staff on a trip to Western Canada ; needless to say , Cardy's position as Minister ended shortly thereafter . Wasteful spending is a big NO NO in the Higgs government as he has reduced the provincial debt by TWO AND A HALF BILLION over the last six years , and saved N.B.ers MILLIONS in interest payments .
Reply to Matt Steele
LOL what about Wallace-Scott’s European adventure and Higgs justifying it by telling NB’rs Macron will be visiting the province? Higgs has zero credibility
Reply to Matt Steele
Perhaps Higgs is planning a future getaway for himself and Faye to an exotic location as he hasn’t spent any $$$ on helping the citizens
Reply to Matt Steele
$77000 and wasn’t Hurley with Wallace-Scott in Europe? Matt, Higgs needs better online surrogates if he expects to win
Reply to
He has "put up" with since she was elected unless of course you can quote exactly what he has done about it.
David Amos
Ted DiBlase
Is there an election coming up in NB ?
David Amos
Reply to Ted DiBlase
Yup Guess who in on the same ballot as Higgy?
Reply to David Amos
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
Higgs is costing us a fortune; he has to go.
Reply to MR Cain
Higgs is not associated with this other than investigating rules around travel that have been in place for years, learn to read.
Reply to MR Cain
oh please this is not a Higgs thing this a political and civil service thing that has been the bane of governments forever. Every party in power has the opportunity to introduce stricter oversight and transparency but they never do.
Reply to Ronald Miller
Not associated, she used to be his neighbour, she reported directly into him and he appointed her. I'm not a detective but.....
Reply to MR Cain
Premier Higgs has reduced the provincial debt by TWO AND A HALF BILLION in just 6 years....and righted the sinking financial ship that N.B. had become .
Reply to Matt Steele
So that makes everything wrong that Higgs does ok?
Reply to Bob McVacer
This is a civil service issue, not an elected gov't issue, I am sorry if you are having a hard time following along. You might have a shiny, brand new account to post under, unfortunately, you bring along your old, non-existent thinking habits.
Reply to Ronald Miller
And who oversees the civil service if not the elected government?
Reply to Ronald Miller
Ronald, she was his neighbour, worked on the campaign, went from having a blog to becoming the Deputy Minister of a department? I guess those are just magical coincidences. What more do you need to know? The only civil service issue, is that it was a hard slap in the face of every hard working civil servant to see her appointed. And guess what no basketball tournament. And she should have been at one of NB's biggest tourist events ever the solar eclipse. Try keeping up ronnie!
Reply to Graham McCormack
So by your warped logic if someone prints up a report that contains spelling mistakes that is the fault of the elected gov't, makes sense.
Reply to Gary Webber
Good question
Reply to Graham McCormack
Bingo
Reply to Bob McVacer
Well put
Eat, Drink and Travel is still alive in the Civil Service. I hope they had a good time on our dime.
David Amos
Reply to Gary Melanson
"On Sept. 25, a memo sent on behalf of Cheryl Hansen, New Brunswick's top civil servant, notified Tourism Department staff that "effective immediately," Dan Mills, the deputy minister for post-secondary education, training and labour, would be assuming responsibility for "all Tourism, Heritage and Culture files."
"I know that Mr. Mills will have your usual support and collaboration as he takes on these additional duties," read the memo, which gave no reason for the change.
Mills was assigned to take over from Hurley, who has been the deputy minister of the Tourism Department since 2020.
Macfarlane said Hurley still holds that job, although Mills is now performing its functions.
"Yennah Hurley is the deputy minister of tourism, heritage and culture. Dan Mills is interim deputy minister of tourism heritage and culture," he wrote."
Methinks its too bad so sad that Dan likely missed out on that trip N'esy Pas?
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