The sister-in-law of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc resigned as the acting ethics commissioner following criticism from opposition MPs who opposed her temporary appointment.. Privy Council Office .“Martine Richard has informed the Privy Council Office she will no longer be serving as interim commissioner,” the Commissioner’s Office said in a statement..“She will remain as senior general counsel.”.Former Commissioner Mario Dion retired on February 14. Weeks later, on March 27, the cabinet appointed Ms Richard as acting commissioner for six months. Minister LeBlanc said he did not participate in the vote..READ MORE Liberal MP didn’t help sister-in-law become ethics commissioner.“Amid the Beijing interference and Trudeau Foundation scandals, the Trudeau cabinet appointed Minister LeBlanc’s sister-in-law, this time as the interim ethics commissioner,” Sen. Denise Batters (SK) told the Senate on Wednesday..“Since it’s an interim position, the appointment does not require House of Commons approval.”.“Dominic LeBlanc is a senior government minister,” said Senator Batters..“He is a long-time, close Trudeau family friend. My goodness, he used to babysit the prime minister.”.“The government knew this appointment wouldn’t pass the smell test,” said Batters..“You’re ineligible to win the Tim Hortons Roll Up the Rim contest if you’re a family member of an employee. This is ethics 101.”.“In what world is it appropriate that the sister-in-law of a senior Trudeau minister can snag this plum government appointment to judge the ethical infractions of her brother-in-law’s closest circle?” asked Batters..READ MORE Interim ethics commissioner sister-in-law to Liberal minister, raising conflict of interest concerns.Sen. Marc Gold (QC), the government representative in the Senate, replied Ms Richard was a career public employee who served more than a decade as senior counsel in the Commissioner’s Office..“To disregard her professional personal achievements and her competence only serves to undermine the important role the ethics commissioner plays in our system,” said Gold..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the Commissioner’s Office said Ms Richard’s departure as acting chief would pause some investigations pending a permanent appointment..“At this time, there are decisions the office cannot proceed with based upon functions that only the commissioner can undertake as outlined in the Conflict of Interest Act and the Conflict of Interest Code for members of the House of Commons,” said Melanie Rushworth, spokesperson for the office..Ms Richard was acting director of investigations in 2019 when the ethics commissioner reviewed cabinet attempts to quash a criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. .In a Trudeau II Report, the commissioner counted 49 separate phone calls and meetings between the prime minister, political aides and cabinet members regarding the SNC-Lavalin prosecution..The company subsequently pled guilty to fraud charges and was fined $280 million in Québec Provincial Court..Ms Richard also worked at the Commissioner’s Office in 2018 when it censured Minister LeBlanc for breach of the Conflict of Interest Act in awarding a $24 million surf clam license to a company managed by his wife’s cousin.
