The controversy over Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s handling of his personal finances has prompted a needed conversation about Canada’s conflict-of-interest law and the office meant to enforce it. For these lapses, some have blamed loopholes in Canada’s conflict-of-interest law, some have blamed the watchdog charged with enforcing that law, and some have blamed the government for its ethical laxity. A number of sensible tweaks have been proposed in recent weeks, the most important being the closing of the loophole that allowed Morneau to continue to “indirectly” manage his investments through a holding company. As ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has long argued, the architects of the country’s fiscal policy should not be allowed to control, even indirectly, large personal holdings. Some have suggested Dawson’s interpretation of the conflict-of-interest law is overly narrow, while others argue she’s too inclined to avoid controversy and reluctant to challenge officials.

Source: thestar November 13, 2017 11:15 UTC