A report released yesterday by Ombudsman Charlene Paquin is raising questions about why the NDP wanted to avoid opening a ‘Tiger Dams’ contract to other businesses.

The ombudsman says civil servants wanted a contract for the flood fighting equipment put out for bidding in 2014, but Thompson MLA and Infrastructure Minister Steve Ashton tried to have it awarded to a specific company. The company is owned by a friend of Ashton’s, who has donated to his political campaigns in the past.

The contract was never issued after a whistleblower complained. 

Paquin says although there are questions as to why the government wanted to avoid opening the contract to bidding from other companies, in the end the proper procedures were followed when other cabinet ministers overruled Ashton.

Manitoba’s Opposition Tories say Ashton should be removed from cabinet.

Ashton has denied any wrongdoing, saying he was simply trying to secure needed equipment for flood-prone First Nation communities.