A second politician named in Newfoundland and Labrador's legislative spending scandal is quitting his seat.

Randy Collins, the New Democratic member of the house of assembly for Labrador West, will resign his seat in February to take a union job in Ontario.

Randy Collins was first elected to represent Labrador West in 1999.
(CBC)

"Obviously, the circumstances that are here at present are not the ideal ones that I would choose," Collins told CBC News.

Collins has not picked a date by which he will resign his seat, but the two-term MHA said he will step down by the middle of February.

Reports filed by Auditor General John Noseworthy during 2006 showed that Collins received $358,598 more than he was due from his tax-free constituency allowances.

Collins's revelation was only one of two departures from the house of assembly made public on Friday.

Kathy Goudie, a Progressive Conservative backbencher, announced she is quitting her seat in Humber Valley district effective immediately.

Goudie was named in a Noseworthy report filed earlier this month that showed she double-billed $3,818 in her constituency allowance. Goudie attributed the wrongful claims to clerical errors and health problems.

Collins was part of a series of audits that rocked Newfoundland and Labrador political circles to the core.

Noseworthy named five politicians from three parties as having received excess payments from their constituency allowances, which are intended to be used to pay for offices, travel, promotional items and other expenses incurred dealing with constituents.

Ed Byrne, the first politician to be named in Noseworthy's reports, announced his retirement from politics late last fall, saying he could not represent his Kilbride constituents with a cloud over his head. His seat became vacant effective Jan. 1.

Collins has had little to say about the scandal since Noseworthy first named him in July.

'You know, people can believe what they want ... but given the fact that I had to make a decision, this is the one I chose.'-Randy Collins

He said he is resigning his seat only because he is taking a job with the United Steelworkers, a union with which he worked before entering politics in 1999.

"You know, people can believe what they want," Collins said.

"But the realities are I fully intended on serving out the term, but given the fact that I had to make a decision, this is the one I chose."

NDP Leader Lorraine Michael, who will be left as the sole New Democrat in the legislature, said she believed the impact of the legislative spending scandal was a key factor in Collins's departure.

"By taking the job going back with the union, it's giving him stability at this point in his life," Michael said Friday.

Considered resigning last summer

Collins said he had initially considered quitting last summer, when Noseworthy's reports were first tabled. He changed his mind and had intended to serve out the rest of his term.

As for the part the auditing scandal played in his decision, Collins said, "None whatsoever."

Provincial law dictates that a byelection be called within 60 days of a seat becoming vacant and held within 90 days.

Premier Danny Williams called a byelection for Feb. 8 for three seats — Ferryland, Kilbride and Port au Port — vacated by the resignations of three MHAs, all Progressive Conservatives.

On Friday, Williams said a byelection for Humber Valley voters will be held Feb. 12.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is continuing a criminal investigation launched after Noseworthy filed his initial reports last summer.