Latest news with #ConflictofInterestAct
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Jobs subsidy for immigration minister's longstanding church raises 'perception' questions: ethics specialist
OTTAWA — When Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab dropped by a church kids camp this summer, she came to pose for photos to highlight the funding that came from the Canada Summer Jobs program. It might not have seemed unusual: members of Parliament have a hand in helping organizations in their riding get the summer-job subsidies in the first place. MPs get lists of organizations in their ridings that apply for the subsidy, and recommend who should get it. But Metlege Diab had a more personal relationship with this particular Lebanese parish church in Halifax than just representing it as an MP. She has been a parishioner there since the 1980s. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The situation does not seem to violate either the Conflict of Interest Act or codes that public office holders must follow, but one government ethics specialist said it touches on issues around perceptions of conflict, as well as what questions the department responsible for administering the money asks of MPs who may have ties to the organizations whose requests they review. 'Do I think that the minister, in this case, has broken the act or code? No,' said Ian Stedman, who previously worked for Ontario's integrity commissioner and now teaches as an associate professor at York University. 'Do I think that the program may want to protect itself by having a higher bar or a higher standard than the act or code? Yes.' The Canada Summer Jobs program offers a wage subsidy for employers to hire those aged 15 to 30 each summer. This year, the government announced it would spend $25 million more to create another 6,000 spots to combat the country's high youth unemployment rate. How it works is simple: An organization, including religious ones, applies for the subsidy. The department that administers it assesses the application to ensure it meets the criteria and then asks MPs for their feedback based on a recommended list, which, according to the program's website, is to ensure 'local priorities' are met. Their feedback, it says, is then used to inform the government's final decisions. In Metlege Diab's case, a spokeswoman in her Halifax West constituency office said she provided her feedback back in March, two months before Prime Minister Mark Carney promoted her to cabinet. She has represented the riding federally since 2021. 'The final funding decisions by (Employment and Social Development Canada) were made during the writ period,' the spokeswoman wrote, referring to the period during the spring federal election. Her office also confirmed she had been a parishioner of the church in question since its was established in the 1980s 'It was wonderful to visit Our Lady of Lebanon Parish and see how the Canada Summer Jobs program is helping our youth gain valuable work experience while supporting meaningful summer opportunities. Thank you for welcoming me — enjoy the rest of your summer!' Metlege Diab wrote in a recent Facebook post . The government confirmed the church received around $50,000 to fund 10 jobs. Last year, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's office released an advisory opinion directing MPs on when they should refrain from giving their opinion on whether a particular organization should receive funding. It added that an entity is not precluded from applying for government money just because an elected official or appointee has a personal connection to it, like a membership. The office advised that MPs should not provide opinions on applications from groups that employ or are owned by a family member, or where they have a 'private interest.' Stedman says under the rules, 'private interest' is defined in terms of it being a financial interest, which is narrow. He says that narrowness is evident when it comes to the Canada Summer Jobs program, which he said is unique in that the government asks MPs to directly weigh in on a funding decision. 'This is really them saying outright, 'We want you to help influence how our money is spent.'' While federal ethics rules concentrate on the issue of a public officer using their influence to benefit financially, the program itself is about the community. 'It's an organization she cares about. It's a church that she cares about, and the better they do, the longer they survive to be there for her and her community. And she benefits from that in a kind of interpersonal way,' Stedman said. 'It's just not the kind of benefit that's contemplated by the act, which can be unpalatable … for I think our modern take on what conflicts of interest could be.' He said he believes the program, in asking MPs for their recommendations on funding, should also ask whether they have any personal connections to the organizations on the provided lists. 'The public expects that their members of Parliament are going to do everything they can to avoid the perception of a conflict, because we want our government officials to care about public trust in their behaviour, and public trust is about perception as much as it is about reality.' In a statement, Employment and Social Development Canada did not directly say whether it asks MPs about having any personal ties to the organizations whose applications they review, but members are reminded of the rules under the Conflict of Interest Act and Code of Conduct. 'To ensure their recommendations are considered, they must attest to their compliance with the code by completing the required electronic confirmation. The code provides guidance to MPs regarding the disclosure of conflicts of interest and ensures transparency and accountability in their decision-making, including in the Canada Summer Jobs MP recommendation process,' wrote spokeswoman Liana Brault. 'The department provides final recommendations of projects to be funded after examining all applications against program criteria and national priorities and reviewing feedback from members of Parliament.' National Post staylor@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Observer
22-07-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Alberta landowner files conflict-of-interest complaint against Danielle Smith appointee
An Alberta landowner dealing with an orphan gas well on his property wants an investigation into an oil industry insider and advisor to Premier Danielle Smith. David Yager led the creation of a controversial strategy that would shift the burdens of oil and gas well clean up from industry to the public, while also working as an industry consultant. Yager is a long-time oil and gas industry insider who has worked as an executive for a handful of oilfield companies, including Tesco Corporation, which he founded. Yager's business website offers consulting services for the oil and gas service industry. At the same time, he is sitting on the board of the Alberta Energy Regulator and acting as a 'special advisor' to Premier Danielle Smith. The complaint, filed to the Ethics Commissioner by Ecojustice on July 22, alleges Yager's role in the creation of the controversial Mature Asset Strategy violated the Conflict of Interest Act. 'He can't have all those roles at the same time,' Susanne Calabrese, staff lawyer at Ecojustice, said in a phone interview with Canada's National Observer. 'In our opinion, it's impossible to represent the interests of a part of the government, an independent regulator, private companies and then the public, all at the same time.' Reached by phone, Yager declined to comment on the complaint. Canada's National Observer received an unattributed, emailed statement from the Office of the Minister of Energy and Minerals defending Yager's appointment. David Yager, a long-time oil and gas industry insider and advisor to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, is the focus of a new complaint that alleges his role in the creation of the controversial Mature Asset Strategy is a conflict of interest. 'Mr. Yager has been contracted to work with the Government of Alberta based on the unique skills and experience he brings from a long career in the oil and gas sector, as well as the valuable perspective he brings to significant issues relating to the energy sector,' the statement read. It referenced his over 50 years of experience in upstream oil and gas and time as founder, executive officer and director of three publicly traded oilfield service companies 'specializing in wellbore construction, completion, remediation, abandonment, production optimization, regulatory compliance and the physical protection of workers, assets and the community.' The statement did not directly address the complaint, which at the time of correspondence had not yet been filed to the Ethics Commissioner. Ecojustice said the complaint is expected to be filed on Tuesday. 'We didn't know if it's leaking' Dwight Popowich has been fighting for nearly eight years to clean up an inactive, orphaned gas well on his property, about a quarter mile from his house. A few months ago he managed to get the well designated as an orphan well through the industry-funded Orphan Well Association, which is supposed to trigger a clean up process, but was told it will be 10 to 12 years before it is reclaimed. He filed the complaint almost four months after the strategy to deal with aging oil and gas infrastructure was released and widely criticized by landowner associations, environmental groups and the Rural Municipalities of Alberta. 'How is this protecting my rights? It's like my rights are totally ignored as a landowner, as a taxpayer,' he told Canada's National Observer in a phone interview. 'When you sit on the Alberta Energy Regulator board you're supposed to be independent from government. Well, how is he independent from government and he's a special advisor to the premier at the same time?' Popowich said. Popowich said the well has thrown a wrench in his plans to sell the property because no one wants to buy a liability. And if the gas well on his property is leaking he would never be the wiser because it would be colourless and odorless and require someone with special equipment to detect. 'These are industrial sites. They have dangerous vapors coming off of them. Some of them are explosive, some of them are poisonous, some of them are both,' Popowich said. 'We didn't know if it's leaking, if it's safe.' Billions in liabilities Alberta is littered with defunct oil and gas wells. The Mature Asset Strategy estimated there are 274,215 well sites that have not been reclaimed. Of those, about 101,000 are classified as 'marginal,' meaning they currently produce very little oil or gas and are on the way out. Some are 'abandoned' and sealed off with concrete, while others are left unplugged and called 'orphaned' wells because no company is legally responsible for cleaning them up. Though estimates vary, the cost to deal with all these wells is astronomical. The Alberta Energy Regulator has clean-up billed at about $36 billion while a 2023 research paper from the School of Public Policy estimates current liabilities are at least $60 billion. To deal with the problem, Alberta commissioned the creation of the Mature Asset Strategy, led by Yager, which was developed through months of closed-door discussions with oil and gas companies and other stakeholders. Of the 98 participants consulted on the strategy, at least 50 participants were from the oil and gas industry, with another 10 participants referred to as technical and engineering. No participants from environmental groups or landowner or citizen groups are listed. Three were listed as Indigenous 'Ministries/Organizations/Representatives' The Rural Municipalities of Alberta, which participated in the process, criticized the report as focusing too much on recommendations that benefit industry, with little regard for impacts on municipalities, landowners, the environment and the broader public interest. The recommendations are vague but there is a common 'narrative of lessening environmental standards,' Calabrese said. For example, one of the recommendations in the strategy suggested existing defunct oil and gas well sites could be outfitted with solar panels instead of undergoing full reclamation, saying this arrangement would deliver 'both environmental and economic benefits.' 'When we look at the whole process, we realize that the whole thing probably had a predetermined outcome before it was even started,' Popowich said. 'A flawed process, potentially tainted by conflicts of interest, leads to a flawed product,' Calabrese said. 'We're really concerned that the public did not get what they paid for with a Mature Asset Strategy because of all these conflicts of interest, and that's why we want the ethics commissioner to look into this matter.' 'This is their circus; this is their monkeys' All of this runs counter to the polluter pays principle, which states companies should bear the cost of cleaning up their messes, not taxpayers, Popowich said. Oil and gas companies are notorious for not paying taxes to municipalities and this is another key issue critics say was not adequately addressed in the strategy. Landowners like Popowich are supposed to be paid a land lease by the company operating on their land, but if a company goes bankrupt the payments stop and landowners have to apply to the government to receive the money. The result? Alberta taxpayers pay millions of dollars in these failed land lease payments, Calabrese said. 'This was created by the industry. This is their circus; this is their monkeys. We should have nothing to do with this,' Popowich said. Yager was hired to do this work, and previous work, through a series of four sole source contracts with the government of Alberta and the complaint asks the ethics commissioner to investigate this for possible violations of Alberta's procurement and sole course contract policy. Yager's website says he encouraged Smith to run for leadership of the Wildrose Party in 2009 and boasts he was the top fundraiser for her leadership bid that year. 'It's very interesting that after she was sworn into office only a few months later he's then had four back-to-back sole source contracts awarded,' Calabrese said. Yager's first contract in 2023 was $60,000 for 'Advisory Council on Alberta's Energy Future'; the report was never made public. Later that year he was awarded a $70,000 contract to complete a review of the AER. In 2024, he received $136,000 for 'Professional Services' and this year saw him awarded $156,000 for 'Advisory Services' thought to be related to the Mature Asset Strategy, according to the Ecojustice complaint. If the ethics commissioner decides to investigate Popowich's complaint it will eventually submit a report with its findings to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly with recommendations on what should happen next, Calabrese explained.
Hamilton Spectator
05-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Bona fide' changes to Nunavut law as legislature sitting wraps up
A modernization of Nunavut's pharmacy profession laws was one of five bills approved as the Nunavut legislative assembly's spring sitting came to a close Tuesday. MLAs met in Iqaluit for nine days for the second-last sitting before Nunavummiut head to the polls in the Oct. 27 territorial election. Commissioner Eva Aariak presided over the assent ceremony to sign the bills they passed into law. The Pharmacy Profession Act is what Health Minister John Main has described as an 'modernization' of Nunavut's pharmacy laws. It allows Nunavut pharmacists to administer vaccines and prescribe treatments for minor illnesses. It also establishes a pharmacist registration system, and outlines a complaints and disciplinary process, among other provisions. A supplementary appropriations bill adds $4.2 million in capital budget spending across the territory's departments of justice, family services, and executive and intergovernmental affairs for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. The capital budget for the current fiscal year, which totals more than $350 million, was originally tabled in October during the fall sitting. Another bill replaces Latin text with plain language across several territorial laws, such as 'bona fide' with 'good faith' in acts such as the Business Corporations Act and Conflict of Interest Act, and 'ex parte' with 'without notice' in several acts. A lengthy bill that outlines regulations of early learning and child care centres in Nunavut was approved and received assent after it was initially tabled in the winter sitting. Finally, MLAs passed a bill that adjusts which documents are published in the Nunavut Gazette. For example, notices of incorporations will now be published 'on a website maintained by or for the registrar' instead of in the Nunavut Gazette. Some bills didn't pass this assembly. Notably, a proposed amendment to the Vital Statistics Act would have added a non-binary sex option on birth certificates. That would have allowed people who do not identify as male or female to change their birth certificates to that third sex option if they chose to do so. Main said he was hoping the bill would pass this sitting because June is Pride Month. 'Support for gender-diverse individuals, it's very sensitive and it actually is connected to our work on suicide prevention,' Main told reporters last week. 'Individuals who are gender-diverse and are not adequately supported can be at risk of adverse mental health outcomes including suicide attempts or suicide.' However, that bill and two others tabled this sitting await review from the standing committee on legislation. Along with the signing of bills, MLAs offered their parting messages. Notably, Minister David Akeeagok gave early notice that he won't seek re-election this fall as the MLA for Quttiktuk. He wants prospective candidates to start talking with their families about possibly replacing him. Other statements from MLAs Tuesday included celebrations of high school graduates, tributes to individual family and community members, and talk of fishing derbies. Speaker Tony Akoak thanked legislative staff and the chamber's Inuktitut and Innuinaqtun interpreters for their work. 'We have had a very good, productive couple of weeks of meetings in the house,' he said. 'Have a safe journey home.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Inquiry must be called to get answers on sand mine scandal
Opinion It's pretty clear by now that an inquiry should be called into the Sio Silica scandal. Ethics Commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor released his long-awaited report into the matter this week. He found that former premier Heather Stefanson, then deputy premier Cliff Cullen and then economic development minister Jeff Wharton, violated the province's Conflict of Interest Act by attempting to approve a licence for a controversial silica sand mining project after their government was defeated in the Oct. 3, 2023 provincial election. All three ministers pushed to have a Class 2 licence under the Environment Act approved for Sio Silica, days before the new NDP government was sworn into office. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Ethics Commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor found that former premier Heather Stefanson, then deputy premier Cliff Cullen and then economic development minister Jeff Wharton, violated the province's Conflict of Interest Act. They did so even though they knew, or ought to have known, that it violated the 'caretaker convention,' a longstanding constitutional principle in Canada that prohibits governments from making major policy decisions once a general election is called (unless it's related to an urgent matter of public importance). 'The efforts to have the project licence approved by Ms. Stefanson, Mr. Cullen and Mr. Wharton were taken despite their knowledge that voters had rejected the former government and had placed their trust in a new government,' Schnoor wrote in his report. 'All three knew the requirements of the caretaker convention and both Mr. Cullen and Mr. Wharton had been given specific warnings that approving the project licence during the transition period would breach the convention.' They never did get the project approved. But they tried every which way to manipulate the system to get the job done. That included attempting to invoke a never-before-used section of the Environment Act, which allows the environment minister to approve a Class 2 licence, something normally handled by a senior public servant, in this case the director of the Environmental Approvals Branch. Then-environment minister Kevin Klein and acting minister at the time Rochelle Squires were asked by Wharton following the election to approve the licence. Both refused. 'The exercise of power in a matter of great controversy and with long-term implications, even if well motivated, was improper within the meaning of the act and calls for significant denunciation,' wrote Schnoor. There are good reasons why cabinet ministers should not make major policy decisions during elections, especially after they are defeated at the polls. They no longer have the mandate of the people to act. Attempting to do so is an affront to democracy. Schnoor recommended all three minsters should be fined (something the legislative assembly must vote on). Wharton has apologized for his actions (he initially denied any wrongdoing) and he was stripped of his critic role by Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan. But he's still in caucus. Stefanson, though, has been defiant. She claims she did nothing wrong, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. It's further evidence that she was never fit to be premier. 'None of the decisions I took in the period before the new NDP government was sworn in were made for any purpose other than to further and protect the public interest.' Stefanson said in a written statement from her lawyer. Her statement makes no sense. She was prohibited from making major policy decisions once an election was called, whether she believed it was in the public interest or not. She subverted democracy and is refusing to take responsibility for her role in this scandal. This matter should not end here. Manitobans deserve to know what motivated Stefanson, Cullen and Wharton to try to push this licence through. Schnoor said he found no evidence the ministers in question would have benefited personally from the project. But he had limited ability to delve further into what the motivating factors were. That is why a commission of inquiry under the Evidence Act should be called. An inquiry, headed by an independent commissioner, would have broad investigative powers, including the ability to gather necessary evidence and compel witness testimony in public hearings. Who stood to benefit from this project? Why was there such an urgent push to have it approved after the Tories lost the election? Wednesdays A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future. Manitobans deserve answers to those questions. And those involved should be held accountable for their actions. More importantly, an inquiry is necessary to explore options to try to prevent this from happening in the future. This isn't just about a few cabinet ministers trying to do an end-run around the law. It's about preserving and protecting our democratic institutions. Premier Wab Kinew should call an inquiry to get to the bottom of this mess. Tom BrodbeckColumnist Tom Brodbeck is a columnist with the Free Press and has over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom. Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press's editing team reviews Tom's columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
23-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Manitoba Tory loses critic duties but remains in caucus after ethics probe
Manitoba Opposition leader Obby Khan stripped a Progressive Conservative caucus member of his critic duties Thursday, as questions continued to swirl about the former government's actions related to a proposed silica sand mine. Jeff Wharton, one of three Tories found this week to have violated the province's conflict of interest law, is to remain in caucus but will no longer serve as critic for business, mining, trade and job creation. 'I have removed his critic role in light of this report that came out … and we'll move forward from there,' Khan said. The province's ethics commissioner ruled in a report Wednesday that former premier Heather Stefanson, former deputy premier Cliff Cullen and Wharton, the economic development minister at the time, acted improperly by pushing for an environmental licence to be granted to the Sio Silica mining project after the Tories lost the 2023 election to the NDP. Story continues below advertisement Wharton apologized in the legislature and said he accepted the report's findings. He was not made available to reporters. 'To all Manitobans — and particularly the (people of) Red River North, the constituents that I have the honour to represent every single day — I am sorry. I will do better,' Wharton said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor wrote that despite the election loss, the three Tories tried to get the project approved before the new NDP government, led by Wab Kinew, was sworn in. Their actions violated the Conflict of Interest Act and contravened the caretaker convention — a long-standing parliamentary principle that forbids outgoing governments from making major decisions, the report said. The project did not get approved, due in part to opposition from bureaucrats and two other Tory ministers. The NDP government formally rejected the proposal months later. Stefanson and Cullen have since left politics. Stefanson, in a prepared statement, said she was only acting to further and protect the public interest. Cullen has not returned requests for comment. Schnoor is recommending fines of $18,000 for Stefanson, $12,000 for Cullen and $10,000 for Wharton. The legislature will vote whether to accept the report. Khan said he will vote in favour and believes his caucus will as well. Story continues below advertisement Kinew said there are still many unanswered questions about the former Tory government's actions that need to be answered. 'Why were they so intent on ignoring the results of the election to improperly further this private interest?' Kinew said. The report said there was no evidence that the three politicians would have gained anything financially had the project gone ahead, but Kinew said the ethics commissioner's ability to delve into any possible financial ties was limited. The premier also pointed to the report's findings that some of what the commissioner was told by the Tory politicians contradicted the evidence. Schnoor's report said the facts he learned 'simply do not support the assertions made by Ms. Stefanson,' including a statement from her that the project was at risk if approval did not come quickly. Schnoor also said Wharton told him about a conversation with Cullen that the commissioner ruled didn't happen. Kinew said there will be more discussion on the issues in the legislature in the days and weeks ahead. 'There's a whole lot of unanswered questions here that really speak to a group in the PC universe, including the former premier, who did some really bad things,' Kinew said. 'So I think there's a lot more that needs to be accounted for.'
