Conservatives concerned over interim ethics commissioner's connection to Liberal cabinet minister
The Conservatives are raising concerns over the appointment of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc's sister-in-law as the interim federal conflict of interest and ethics commissioner.
On Tuesday, just after many Parliament Hill reporters entered the federal budget lockup, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's was named as interim commissioner for a period of six months while "an open, transparent and merit-based selection process" gets underway ethics watchdog.
The next day during question period, Conservative MP and ethics critic Michael Barrett raised the appointment, asking the government to confirm that Richard was not the same person who is the sister of LeBlanc's wife.
In response, Government House Leader Mark Holland defended the pick, calling Richard a "career public servant" who has worked in the ethics commissioner's office for more than a decade. He noted that Richard joined the commissioner's office when former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper was in office.
"It makes absolute and complete logical sense that she would be acting on an interim capacity," Holland said, adding that there's an "ethical screen" in place "to ensure no such conflict occurs."
This didn't satisfy Barrett who replied: "the Liberals have got to be kidding,鈥 and suggested the federal government now have an 鈥渋nside man鈥 in the top ethics oversight role. The Commissioner is an independent officer of Parliament.
"How can Canadians have confidence in the officers of Parliament if these guys are stacking the deck?" Barrett asked.
Holland panned Barrett鈥檚 questioning of her credibility stating that "continuing with those kinds of conspiracy theories" would be better done "on Reddit" than in the House of Commons.
Concerns over this interim appointment were , who in 2019 reported that when Richard was senior legal counsel at the ethics commissioner's office, she had to recuse herself from involvement in at least two investigations into Liberal ethics issues due to a perceived conflict of interest.
Richard is filling in after former commissioner Mario Dion retired in February due to health issues. Over his five years in the role, Dion found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as well as members of his cabinet and caucus in contravention of federal ethics laws on several occasions. On his way out he told 麻豆影视 Power Play's Vassy Kapelos that there's an "accountability loop" in the current ethics system.
LeBlanc was one of the members of Trudeau's cabinet that Dion found breached conflict of interest rules, in connection to granting an Arctic surf clam licence to a company that employed a family member during his time as fisheries minister.
In his 2022 year-end interview with CTV National News, on the heels of the latest confirmed ethics breach within his cabinet by Mary Ng, Trudeau said that while "it sucks" when such cases of improper conduct arise, the fact the public knows about them is a sign the system is working.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government鈥檚 three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party鈥檚 popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn鈥檛 be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Today Canadians will remember and honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Trump announces Tom Homan, former director of immigration enforcement, will serve as 'border czar'
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says that Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, will serve as "border czar" in his incoming administration.
Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
Bleeding and in pain, a woman endured a harrowing wait for miscarriage care due to Georgia's restrictive abortion law
Since the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.
Canadian veterans remember how they eased tensions as UN peacekeepers in ethnically split Cyprus
It was the first time that Canadian UN peacekeeper Michelle Angela Hamelin said she came up against the raw emotion of a people so exasperated with their country's predicament.
'I was called;' Murray Sinclair's life and legacy honoured at emotional memorial
Applause erupted over and over at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg Sunday as the son of Murray Sinclair, a former judge, senator and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into residential schools, spoke about his father.
Children's book by chef Jamie Oliver withdrawn after criticism from Indigenous Australians
A children's book written by British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been withdrawn from sale after it was criticized for causing offense to Indigenous Australians.
A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.
Local Spotlight
Should Toronto tear up its bike lanes to improve traffic flow? Critics say it's not so simple
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.