The ethics commissioner has initiated an investigation into Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Board member Guy Ouimet. “This director funnelled $400K of taxpayer money to a company he owns,” tweeted Conservative MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON) on Sunday. “This is the second ethics investigation at [Justin] Trudeau's corrupt slush fund.”.Interim Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Konrad Von Finckenstein said he has considered Barrett’s request and is of the view it satisfies the requirements for an investigation. “I am therefore commencing an investigation under Subsection 44(3) of the Act into the matter you raise, and I have informed Mr. Ouimet accordingly,” said von Finckenstein. “In accordance with Subsection 44(8) of the Act, once I have completed my examination, I will provide you with a copy of my report to the Prime Minister on the matter.” Von Finckenstein said he was responding to Barrett’s letter from November 29, where he alleged an investigation should be started into Ouimet’s conduct because of the provision of SDTC funding to several projects. Based on public sources, Barrett said Ouimet has an interest in Lithion Recycling Inc., which was a recipient of SDTC funding that was approved in 2018 and continued until the project was completed in 2022. While he was appointed to SDTC’s Board in 2018, it was before the original decision to award the funding to Lithion, but he would have participated in the decision to award COVID-19 emergency relief funding in 2020 and 2021. This supplementary funding to Lithion’s project would have amounted to close to $400,000. Barrett referred to a project by eNim, which was approved for funding by SDTC in 2022 and for which Lithion is a consortium member. Based on these details, Barrett alleged Ouimet participated in making a decision to provide an opportunity to further his private interests and that he failed to recuse himself from a discussion, decision or vote on a matter he could have benefited from. He referred to funding awarded to Nano One Materials Corp. in 2022. The name of the consortium member listed on SDTC’s website for this project is Lithion Battery. Based on information in public sources, von Finckenstein said Lithion Battery “is a different company to which Mr. Ouimet does not appear to be connected.” “Therefore, I have no grounds at this time to pursue this allegation,” he said. Von Finckenstein launched an investigation into former SDTC chair Annette Verschuren on November 16. READ MORE: UPDATED: Ethics commissioner begins investigation into Canadian government appointee"Trudeau’s Chair funnelled over $200,000 of taxpayer money to a company where she is the CEO," said Barrett. “Another Liberal under investigation for breaking ethics laws.”
