Liberals accuse PCs of ignoring conflict-of-interest rules

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This article was published 10/10/2018 (2878 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont says the PC government ignored conflict-of-interest rules by allowing three cabinet ministers who own rental properties to vote on a bill that affects landlords.

During question period Wednesday, Lamont raised the fact that Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen, Families Minister Heather Stefanson and Municipal Relations Minister Jeff Wharton – who have declared they own rental properties — voted in favour of Bill 12. The Red Tape Reduction and Government Services Act sets a 60-day limit on when tenants can appeal rent increases.

Lamont believes the ministers should have recused themselves from voting on the legislation.

“So one of the things is (if) we actually want to improve government and raise the bar a little, we have to consider not just what’s a conflict of interest, but what’s a perception of a conflict of interest,” he said.

“So you have a situation where ministers have declared that they owned apartment buildings on their conflict of interest forms… you have to ask what’s the point of even having conflict of interest forms if it makes absolutely no difference whether people can vote to give themselves benefits or not?”

The government responded in an emailed statement: “Mr. Lamont should familiarize himself with the Conflict of Interest Act before engaging in NDP-style mudslinging. If he has a specific complaint, he should file it with the conflict of interest commissioner,” the government said.

“We will continue the good work we’ve started to increase accountability and transparency throughout government.”

Conflict of interest commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor said he couldn’t publicly comment on the allegation made by the Liberals due to the non-partisan nature of his role. The commissioner is appointed by an all-party committee.

“I provide my advice directly to the 57 members and I can’t make a public comment,” Schnoor said.

In April, Schnoor made 84 recommendations to improve Manitoba’s conflict of interest legislation, which is “the oldest and arguably the weakest conflict of interest legislation in Canada,” he said at the time.

The recommendations include expanding the definition of a conflict of interest beyond someone’s financial interests to include all private interests.

Schnoor suggested the province should give the commissioner the power to investigate alleged breaches of conflict rules and to recommend penalties up to, and including, the loss of a member’s seat. Manitoba is the only jurisdiction in the country where the conflict of interest commissioner doesn’t have such powers.

The government has yet to implement the recommendations.

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu