Minister more hands-on in business, documents indicate

Documents obtained by CBC News have revealed the new health minister for Newfoundland and Labrador appeared to be more hands-on in the operation ofhis two personal care facilities than he has previously suggested.

Paul Oram, who was appointed to the health portfolio earlier this month, insisted he was hands-off in the operation of the two facilities he said he co-owned with his wife while he was the minister responsible for business.

The two facilities are located in the central Newfoundland communities of Glovertown and Gambo.

Mortgage documents filed with provincial registries in 2008 showed that Oram took out three mortgages between January and July of that year. Two were multimillion-dollar mortgages for Birchview Manor, which is owned by Oram. Another mortgage was for $150,000 for the Oram Group of companies.

Oram listed himself on the mortgages as the director for those companieswhile he was the minister for business.

In an affidavit, Oram swore that he was in charge of his company and that he was the president and director of the companies.

On Tuesday, Oram said he was placing all of his business interests, including his shares in the two personal care homes, into a blind trust to ensure his business interests do not conflict with his work.

NDP leader: Situation raises questions

The leader of the provincial New Democratic Party, Lorraine Michael, said the situation raises a lot of questions.

"I find it disturbing that he led the public to believe that he hadn't been involved in his companies," Michael told CBC News on Friday. "Can we trust the minister based on the fact that when given the opportunity to tell what the situation was, he didn't tell it as it was?" Michael asked.

The NDP leader also wondered if Oram could perform the duties as the minister of health if he could notmake policies about personal care homes. Michael said the conflict of interest guidelines advise ministers to pass an issue on to another minister if it might benefit themselves or their families.

"How can he fully do his job as minister of health if every time long-term care comes up and policies around that come up, he has to remove himself and pass it on to another minister," Michael said.