NDP Wants Advanced Education Minister Virk To Explain Irregular Payments To Kwantlen Executives

VICTORIA – Minister ofAdvanced Education AmrikVirk needs to explain more than$100,000 in irregular paymentsmade on his watch at KwantlenPolytechnic University, say theNew Democrats.“In addition to their disclosedsalaries, at least $100,000 in paymentsto two university executiveswas hidden from publicview in Kwantlen’s financialreports,” said New Democratleader Adrian Dix.Dix and New Democratadvanced education critic DavidEby raised questions in the legislatureWednesday about whythe payments were hidden andproper salary disclosure procedureswere ignored.They presented evidence thatKPU made a $50,000 paymentto the current university presidentin the 2013 budget year andfailed to properly report it aspart of his compensation. In2012, the university made a similar$56,280 payment to the formeruniversity vice-president,which it also failed to properlyreport.Virk was vice-chair ofKwantlen’s board of governorsand chair of its humanresources subcommittee at thetime the payments were madeand not properly reported. Theboard is responsible for ensuringthat appropriate financialreporting procedures are followed,while the subcommitteeVirk chaired is responsible forKwantlen’s human resourcespolicies. “Did Minister Virkthink it was appropriate to hidemore than $100,000 from thegovernment agency responsiblefor enforcing salary caps? Heneeds to explain these unsettlingreports,” said Eby.“We need to have confidencethat Kwantlen is meeting thegovernment’s requirement ofhonest reporting. Its 17,000 studentsand the taxpayers whosupply almost $70 million a yearto this institution have to besure that their hard-earnedmoney is being accounted for,”said Eby. “Minister Virk is nowin charge of all the post-secondaryinstitutions in this province.He has an obligation to ensurethat these institutions are puttingstudents first.” Virk hasn’tresponded to the allegations andcould not be reached by presstime for comment.