Integrity commissioner calls for tougher conflict-of-interest law
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David Raymond Amos
I sure hope the new integrity commissioner finally does his job and answers me in writing
Michael Geraldson
Integrity and politicians, two words that should rarely be used in the same sentence!
David Raymond Amos
@Michael Geraldson Sad but oh
so true. However I can think of a few exceptions The first to come mind
is Jim Traficant. Check history to see look what the Yankees did to him
for trying to make the rest act ethically
Here is one of my favourite quotes of his
"I think Congress should take the IRS, handcuff them to a chain-link fence, and flog them with their own damn Tax Code"
Here is one of my favourite quotes of his
"I think Congress should take the IRS, handcuff them to a chain-link fence, and flog them with their own damn Tax Code"
Shawn McShane
Boudreau should recuse
himself from anything government. How he got elected after the Atcon
scandal is beyond belief. He personally signed off on removing the
province's security in loan guarantees costing taxpayers more than $70
million. Why? We will never know: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/victor-boudreau-refuses-to-answer-atcon-questions-1.3025556
David Raymond Amos
@Shawn McShane We already know the answer don't we?
Jeffrey Parker
Who's going to enforce these
proposed laws? Never did before, just help cover them up or be so
incompetent in investigating that no one takes a fall for corruption in
the system,
Surely screwed here in this place.
Surely screwed here in this place.
David Raymond Amos
@Jeffrey Parker We can hold
them accountable. All you have to do is sue them. Good luck finding a
lawyer willing to stand before a judge appointed to the bench by their
buddies. Hell two judges NB are former Conservative Attorney Generals
who lost their seats in recent elections. Go figure who is putting the
screws to us. Methinks its the Brotherhood of the Bar. What say you?
Keith Jagger
@David Raymond Amos - He
(she) who writes the laws and administers the laws rules the common
folks David. Judges are just lawyers with connections and the gift of
gabb
Shawn McShane
Last month Boudreau announced that he was giving up his investment in the campground altogether.
Past two days Parlee Beach had "No Swimming Advisory" and today as well. I wonder if Boudreau would have gave up his investment under the old water advisory system that he defended...Victor Boudreau dismisses call for Parlee Beach sign improvements. The health minister said people can "use their own judgement" on whether they want to go into the water.
Past two days Parlee Beach had "No Swimming Advisory" and today as well. I wonder if Boudreau would have gave up his investment under the old water advisory system that he defended...Victor Boudreau dismisses call for Parlee Beach sign improvements. The health minister said people can "use their own judgement" on whether they want to go into the water.
Jeffrey Parker
@Shawn McShane we we are UdeMer than the rest of Canada, that's why they leave.
David Raymond Amos
@Shawn McShane Methinks Mr
Boudreau should thank us all for his fat pension because I doubt he
could get elected as a dog catcher after all this malicious nonsense
Keith Jagger
@David Raymond Amos - You
obviously don't know the mindset of the people of his riding who would
vote Liberal if a spruce fencepost was running for the party. (Well - I
think you probably do and you are being fasicious)
Shawn McShane
@David Raymond Amos He got
re-elected after Atcon. He can thank them. The rest of us need to make
sure this doesn't happen anymore.
William Roberts
Integrity, Politicians? LOL If you had any integrity you wouldn't want to be a politician here.
David Raymond Amos
@William Roberts I tried the
water of the political sewer once in 2006 while intervening in the NEB
Emera Pipeline hearing and I got all of 44 votes in Saint John Harbour.
Trust that I was not surprised. I learned something long ago when my
Father and his PC friends were disgusted that the lawyer Trudeau "The
Elder" was having fun falsely claiming he said "Fuddle Duddle" on the
Hill. In a nutshell it is that nobody gives a damn just as long as our
politicians appear to be cool dudes. Nothing has changed since.
Paul Bourgoin
The selection of Dr. Louis
Lapierre, recipient of the Order of Canada whose Medal was revoked
because because of his recognized lack of needed competence which he
falsified is a documented example of how strong this influence and
consequences of this mis-guided forest management has destroyed the Fish
and Wildlife habitat and populations in New Brunswick. This design of
forest management supported by industry, impacts negatively on our Grand
Children's heritage, forcing them to leave their native province
because of lack of work.
David Raymond Amos
@Paul Bourgoin All True However we keep on electing these people correct?
Terry L. Sisson
I find it difficult to
believe: 1) March 2,2017 Alexandre Deschense informed Victor Boudreau
he should leave the business group Shediac Campground Ltd. and he
agreed. 2) It is now June 12, 2017 and to my knowledge this has not
been done. Did I miss something here? Mr. Deschenes is Integrity
Minister, correct!
Jay Oak
@Terry L. Sisson Integrity Commissioner, not Minister.
David Raymond Amos
@Jay Oak True but we are still compelled to call them both "Honourable
Integrity commissioner calls for tougher conflict-of-interest law
N.B. legislation should apply to apparent conflicts, not just actual ones, Alexandre Deschênes says
By Jacques Poitras, CBC News Posted: Jun 12, 2017 6:30 AM AT
Alexandre Deschênes's first act as commissioner was to
deal with Victor Boudreau's 20 per cent investment in Shediac Campground
Ltd., a proposed 700-site facility that has generated local opposition.
(Jacques Poitras/CBC)
New Brunswick's integrity commissioner says the
conflict-of-interest law for politicians should be toughened to clarify
cases such as cabinet minister Victor Boudreau's former investment in a
proposed campground near Parlee Beach.
Alexandre Deschênes said earlier this year that Boudreau's stake in the project did not put him in a conflict of interest but that the appearance of a conflict was "inevitable."
Unlike other conflict-of-interest laws, "our act does not apply to an apparent conflict of interest," he said in an interview with CBC News. "It's not in there."
Boudreau recused himself from Parlee Beach issues anyway, even though he didn't technically have to. The law said ministers aren't in a conflict if decisions that affect their private interests also apply to the general public.
"Mr. Boudreau could have gone on and said, 'I'm the minister of health and I'm going to make decisions that apply to the general public and the act allows it,'" Deschênes said.
"If you'd had the words 'apparent conflict of interest' [in the law] it would have been clear."
Deschênes pointed out two of his predecessors as conflict-of-interest commissioner, Pat Ryan and Stuart Stratton, recommended expanding the act to include the appearance of conflicts.
"It started out way back," he said. "We're looking at almost a decade here where the suggestion has been made that apparent conflict of interest ought to be included in the act. It's not been done.
"But as a commissioner, I will be following what they've been doing and I will be recommending it when I file a report."
The Gallant Liberals passed amendments to update the Members Conflict of Interest Act during the spring session of the legislature, but they did not include a ban on perceived conflicts.
Progressive Conservative MLA Brian MacDonald has also called for the Liberals to fix what he calls "a gap in the law."
Deschênes was appointed the province's integrity commissioner last year. The new role incorporates the role of conflict-of-interest watchdog and registrar of lobbyists, and in September it will also include the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Deschênes's first act as commissioner was to deal with
Boudreau's 20 per cent investment in Shediac Campground Ltd., a proposed
700-site facility that has generated local opposition.
As health minister, Boudreau oversees the public health offices, and his department was part of a working group looking at how to deal with fecal contamination at Parlee Beach. One option the group looked at was a moratorium on new development near the beach.
That would have affected the proposed campground.
The law bans ministers from making decisions that affect their "private interest," but it makes an exception if the decision applies to the broader public, even if the minister would still benefit.
Deschênes said in his letter to Boudreau in March that "one could argue" a decision on a moratorium would affect the broader public.
"Under the act, he might have been entitled to continue to have discussions that applied to the general population, even though he was part of [the project] at that point," Deschênes said in an interview last week.
"I told him, and he made it public, that the appearance of conflict in this case was absolutely inevitable. He couldn't get around it. It was there."
The federal conflict of interest code for MPs also includes an exception for decisions that affect the general public, but it includes an explicit reference to perceived conflicts.
Boudreau put his investment in a blind trust in 2014, which meant he had no role in the running of the business. But the value of his stake would have been affected by a moratorium on future development.
He said in March he learned of the potential moratorium Feb. 28 and met with Deschênes March 2, the first date they could arrange it.
"That perception is the issue," Boudreau said at the time. "And if the perception is the issue, and the perception is what's going to be prevent us from getting to the bottom of it, then I'm prepared to recuse myself from all activities relating to this committee."
Last month he announced that he was giving up his investment in the campground altogether.
Deschênes said he believes most ministers and MLAs would do the same thing if he told them there was an apparent, but not actual, conflict.
"In most cases I think they will listen and they will do what has to be done to put an end to an apparent conflict of interest, although technically they could continue to do what they want to do."
Alexandre Deschênes said earlier this year that Boudreau's stake in the project did not put him in a conflict of interest but that the appearance of a conflict was "inevitable."
Unlike other conflict-of-interest laws, "our act does not apply to an apparent conflict of interest," he said in an interview with CBC News. "It's not in there."
Previous commissioners suggested law
Boudreau recused himself from Parlee Beach issues anyway, even though he didn't technically have to. The law said ministers aren't in a conflict if decisions that affect their private interests also apply to the general public.
- Boudreau recuses himself from Parlee Beach controversy
- Victor Boudreau case shows 'huge loophole' in conflict law, ethics group says
"Mr. Boudreau could have gone on and said, 'I'm the minister of health and I'm going to make decisions that apply to the general public and the act allows it,'" Deschênes said.
"If you'd had the words 'apparent conflict of interest' [in the law] it would have been clear."
Deschênes pointed out two of his predecessors as conflict-of-interest commissioner, Pat Ryan and Stuart Stratton, recommended expanding the act to include the appearance of conflicts.
"It started out way back," he said. "We're looking at almost a decade here where the suggestion has been made that apparent conflict of interest ought to be included in the act. It's not been done.
"But as a commissioner, I will be following what they've been doing and I will be recommending it when I file a report."
Updated conflict act
The Gallant Liberals passed amendments to update the Members Conflict of Interest Act during the spring session of the legislature, but they did not include a ban on perceived conflicts.
Progressive Conservative MLA Brian MacDonald has also called for the Liberals to fix what he calls "a gap in the law."
- 'Gap in the law': PC critic suggests review of conflict law
- Premier backs Victor Boudreau's involvement in Parlee Beach issue
Deschênes was appointed the province's integrity commissioner last year. The new role incorporates the role of conflict-of-interest watchdog and registrar of lobbyists, and in September it will also include the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Cabinet minister Victor Boudreau recused
himself from the Parlee Beach issues anyway, even though the law said
ministers aren't in a conflict if decisions that affect their private
interests also apply to the general public. (CBC)
As health minister, Boudreau oversees the public health offices, and his department was part of a working group looking at how to deal with fecal contamination at Parlee Beach. One option the group looked at was a moratorium on new development near the beach.
That would have affected the proposed campground.
'I told him, and he made it public, that the appearance of conflict in this case was absolutely inevitable. He couldn't get around it. It was there.' - Alexandre Deschênes
The law bans ministers from making decisions that affect their "private interest," but it makes an exception if the decision applies to the broader public, even if the minister would still benefit.
Deschênes said in his letter to Boudreau in March that "one could argue" a decision on a moratorium would affect the broader public.
"Under the act, he might have been entitled to continue to have discussions that applied to the general population, even though he was part of [the project] at that point," Deschênes said in an interview last week.
"I told him, and he made it public, that the appearance of conflict in this case was absolutely inevitable. He couldn't get around it. It was there."
An MP's perceived conflict matters
The federal conflict of interest code for MPs also includes an exception for decisions that affect the general public, but it includes an explicit reference to perceived conflicts.
Boudreau put his investment in a blind trust in 2014, which meant he had no role in the running of the business. But the value of his stake would have been affected by a moratorium on future development.
In May, Victor Boudreau announced he was giving up his investment in the campground on Parlee Beach altogether.
"That perception is the issue," Boudreau said at the time. "And if the perception is the issue, and the perception is what's going to be prevent us from getting to the bottom of it, then I'm prepared to recuse myself from all activities relating to this committee."
Last month he announced that he was giving up his investment in the campground altogether.
Deschênes said he believes most ministers and MLAs would do the same thing if he told them there was an apparent, but not actual, conflict.
"In most cases I think they will listen and they will do what has to be done to put an end to an apparent conflict of interest, although technically they could continue to do what they want to do."
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