Premier did nothing wrong by taking Bombers flight: ruling

An ethics probe has cleared Premier Wab Kinew of any wrongdoing for taking Grey Cup flights chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor said Wednesday he has concluded there was “no breach” of the law in relation to Kinew’s flights to the Canadian Football League finals in Hamilton in 2023 and Vancouver in 2024.

“Premier Kinew paid fair market value for his flights; therefore, he was not required to obtain approval or to file information afterwards,” Schnoor’s office said in a news release.

Kinew paid $1,100 to the Winnipeg Football Club for the Hamilton flight and $650 for the Vancouver flight, the same amounts charged to the other passengers on the commercial chartered flights, Schnoor’s ethics report said.

Ethics rules that took effect the day after the October 2023 provincial election say MLAs may not accept travel on a non-commercial chartered or private aircraft unless they have the prior approval of the ethics commissioner or the travel was required for the performance of their office and they disclose the information within 30 days.

In March, Progressive Conservative MLA Greg Nesbitt complained to the ethics commissioner that accepting a private charter flight and failing to disclose them had contravened the Conflict of Interest Act.

At the time, Kinew told reporters he should’ve got the OK from the ethics commissioner before boarding the Bombers’ charter flights to the Grey Cup. Without admitting to a violation, Kinew explained why he did not seek approval.

“When I get tickets to a (Winnipeg) Jets game and I pay my own way, I don’t have to disclose those,” Kinew said. “So, I figured paying my own way to the Grey Cup, that I wouldn’t have to disclose.” The premier said he talked to Schnoor who advised him to disclose, so he did.

The Bombers, who invited Kinew on the private charters, said earlier that the premier paid for the trips personally and was invited to represent the city and province at one of Canada’s largest sporting events.

The premier declined to comment on the ruling Wednesday.

PC Leader Obby Khan questioned the premier’s transparency.

“He only came forward after it was brought up by the media and in the chamber,” Khan said Wednesday.

“The premier is held to a to higher standard. He should be more accountable and transparent to Manitobans,” he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca