Manitoba premier won't say how he communicates with staff while in Costa Rica

Mystery surrounds how Premier Brian Pallister communicates while in Costa Rica, including whether he uses personal email or phones senior staff, after he refused to answer a series of questions from the Opposition NDP Monday.

Pallister was grilled by NDP justice critic Andrew Swan during an estimates hearing, who wanted to know what cabinet ministers or staff he spoke to during trips to his vacation home and what method he uses to communicate.

However, citing security concerns, Pallister refused to answer the majority of the questions. He said going into more detail would be a threat to cabinet confidentiality.

"I'm trying to protect the confidentiality and the information flow that I'm responsible for as premier at all times, and I'll continue to do that because cabinet confidence matters," Pallister said in response to questions from Swan. "What (Swan) is interpreting as reluctance is really a very, very sincere commitment to make sure that I don't say or do anything that would give less security to the information flows on a daily basis."

Pallister has been criticized since saying last year he plans to spend up to eight weeks a year at his vacation property. He has since said it will be closer to five weeks this year.

Pallister has repeatedly said he regularly communicates with staff and is always accessible, but refused to say how on Monday as he appeared before a legislature committee.

Documents obtained by the New Democrats under the the province's freedom-of-information law show no records of phone calls between the premier and three senior staff members — his communications manager, chief of staff and director of issues management — during Pallister's last four trips to Costa Rica.  

When Swan asked specifically if he had spoken to those individuals while in Costa Rica, Pallister again refused to play ball.

"Not sure if that is a question that deserves or merits an answer," he said to Swan in response.

Calendar entries obtained by CBC News under the same law show that Pallister had several phone calls scheduled with senior staff in December while he was in Costa Rica. At the time, the government was in the midst of negotiations with the federal government over the signing of the national health accord. Documents also obtained by the Canadian Press under the freedom-of-information law show Pallister did not send or receive any calls on his government-issued cellphone during this period. 

No reason was given as to why those phone calls did not show up on any records obtained under FIPPA. 

"I use all kinds of ways of communicating," Pallister told committee, without going into further detail.

Pallister was not available for an interview after the meeting, but in a prepared statement spokesperson Olivia Billson reiterated that they will not detail any information about how he communicates while abroad.

"Those arrangements are, by necessity, not divulged in detail to ensure proper security and confidentiality of information and persons," she said in the statement.

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• Brian Pallister spends nearly 1 in 5 days of his time in Costa Rica, travel logs show

Swan said there is no reason the premier could not specify how he communicates — via landline, cellphone, email or some other avenue.  

"He claims his government is being open and transparent, yet he won't even answer simple questions that are very specific," Swan said.

Pallister has previously said he covers all his communication costs in Costa Rica himself, which leaves open the possibility that he uses a personal cellphone.

He has also said he rarely, if ever, uses email because he prefers the more direct interaction of phone calls, but told the committee he uses "a variety of email accounts."

Swan told the committee he was disappointed the premier could not provide details to prove that he stays on top of work while in Costa Rica.

Pallister said he would seek advice into whether he should reveal which senior staff he communicated with and when.  

In the meantime, he said Swan should know that he keeps on top of events.

"I want the member to be assured that I stay in regular touch and I'm accessible, through my office, to every member of our team as is needed."