The failure of successive governments in Ottawa to enact effective and transparent conflict of interest laws for elected and appointed public office holders is offensive to the public’s trust in the integrity of responsible government. The Globe and Mail published my opinion piece on this subject on November 2, 2017, under the caption, “Weak Governance in Ottawa is behind Morneau’s mess.” That publication is attached.

Full Document | Email This Post |  Print This Post

There is substantial merit to the preliminary finding of the U.S. Department of Commerce in the Bombardier-Boeing trade dispute that the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is an “authority” of the Quebec government. After discussions with the then Premier ot Québec, the Caisse intervened in 2000 to block the merger of Rogers Communications and Vidéotron, and then financed the purchase of Vidéotron by the Québec authorities selected buyer, Pierre Karl Péledeau. My Letter to the Editor, The Globe and Mail, published October 09, 2017, is attached.

Full Document | Email This Post |  Print This Post

Criticism of the Ontario Securities Commission’s intervention in the Home Capital affair is misguided and misinformed.

Full Document | Email This Post |  Print This Post

The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner recently found that Nigel Wright contravened two important prohibitions in the Conflict of Interest Act in his activities as Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Duffy-Wright Affair. See my commentary on the Commissioner’s findings and the outcomes of the Duffy-Wright Affair.

Full Document | Email This Post |  Print This Post

In April, 2017, the Ontario Securities Commission revealed allegations (which have been not proven) that Home Capital Group Inc. and three of its executive officers at the time made materially misleading disclosures for 2014 and in 2015. Why did it take two years for the OSC to make public its allegations of failed disclosure while shareholders traded on information that the OSC now alleges was misleading? Home Capital’s financial businesses, Home Trust and Home Bank, are federally supervised by the Office of Superintendent of Financial Institutions and the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation. Presumably they were on Ottawa’s watchlist, but depositors and investors were not aware. At the start of 2015, Home Capital’s shares traded around $42 per share are are now at $6 (May 8, 2017). So where where the regulators – what did they know and when?

Full Document | Email This Post |  Print This Post