MCNEIL: PREMIER MUST APOLOGIZE
Date: Friday February 26, 2010

(Halifax, NS) Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil says NDP Premier Darrell Dexter must apologize to Nova Scotians for misleading them during the election campaign and he needs to fire his principal assistant.

Yesterday, the Chief Electoral Officer fined the NDP $10,000 for failing to return illegal union contributions and referred the matter to police.

"During the election campaign, Dexter and his campaign manager repeatedly insisted the money had already been returned," said McNeil. "We now know that was not the case.”

“This was a deliberate attempt to deceive the public. The premier now needs to do the right thing. He needs to apologize and remove Matt Hebb from the Premier's Office."

Matt Hebb was the NDP campaign manager and is now a key adviser to the Premier's Office in the role of principal assistant.

"The premier needs to take responsibility for this deceit. He needs to send a message to his staff and all Nova Scotians that it is wrong." said McNeil.

"It is not too much to ask that the premier and his key advisers tell the truth."

"The police will investigate this matter and will deal with it appropriately. The premier does not need to wait to apologize and do the right thing."

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