Another former Newfoundland and Labrador politician is heading to jail for
his part in that province's spending scandal.
Randy Collins, the former NDP member for Labrador West, was sentenced on
Friday to 21 months in jail and ordered to pay $139,000 in restitution.
Judge Lois Hoegg called Collins' crimes "egregious" and "systematic."
Collins pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud over $5,000 and influence
peddling last year.
He is the fourth politician to be convicted in the scandal, that was brought
to light in 2006 after the province’s auditor general exposed suspicious
expense claims worth about $1 million.
A statement of facts in court showed Collins made just over $139,000 in
illegal claims, including fraudulent and altered receipts, and phoney
research claims.
In a sentencing hearing in December Collins pledged to repay a total of
nearly $300,000 in improper payments he received through his constituency
allowance.
Former Liberal cabinet minister Jim Walsh was sentenced to 22 months for his
part in the scandal, and Wally Andersen, another former member of the
Liberal cabinet, was sentenced to 15 months.
Former Tory cabinet minister Ed Byrne was sentenced last spring to two year
less a day on similar charges related to the scandal.
