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January 15, 2010
Ex-NDPer gets 21 months in N.L. spending scandal
By QMI Agency
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. |