The Provincial Nominee Program and the associated immigrant investor fund were back on the P.E.I. Opposition's agenda Friday, with the targets being the minister and deputy minister in charge.

'He was in a position of trust.'— Opposition leader Olive Crane

Opposition Leader Olive Crane wanted to know why 2,000 applicants, raising $400 million, were pushed through this year, when typically only a few hundred go through in a year. She asked if Innovation Minister Richard Brown or his family benefited, and asked the same question about former deputy minister for innovation Brooke MacMillan.

"He was in a position of trust; he was one of the premier's deputy ministers, and we need to get the facts on this," said Crane.

Brown said all those questions would be answered by the auditor general's investigation.

"We have professionals right now looking into this program. They're called the auditor general's office," said Brown.

"They will interrogate, investigate and report back to this legislature … in a professional manner."

Parliamentary privilege

Brown took some exception to Crane's implied accusations.

"She can say anything she wants in this chamber … because she has immunity in this chamber. You can accuse anything in this chamber," he said.

Brown went on to say he never asked MacMillan whether he accessed PNP money while he was overseeing the program.

MacMillan issued a statement Friday afternoon, saying he had received money under the PNP, but not while he was deputy minister. The investment money his company received came before the election of the current Liberal administration.

Eligible businesses could apply through the PNP for immigrant investor money, making the potential immigrants shareholders in their companies.