Information & Ethics Committee on April 22nd, 2010

[Mary Dawson]

Yes. The Conflict of Interest Act, my act, came into force in July 2007.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

What would you think your greatest accomplishment would be since you started?

[Mary Dawson]

Oh, gosh, that's hard to pick, there are so many.

I would say one of the most difficult things was getting the office staffed with good staff, and I think that's been an accomplishment.

We've found ways of being open, and we really do feel it's very important to be as transparent and open as we can. I take great pains with my annual reports, both under the code and the act, to give information about what I see as issues and what I think is important. And I'm using my website more.

I would say it's communications, and getting my office staffed.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Great, thank you.

I'll now pass to Ms. Block.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Thank you very much.

I welcome you here this morning. I have a number of questions, not necessarily related one to the other, so I'll try to get in what I can.

At our last ethics committee meeting my colleague noted there were a number of different definitions for public office holder. What I want to know from you, Ms. Dawson, is if you could share how your office defines “public office holder”.

[Mary Dawson]

Yes, there is a definition in the act, actually. It's quite long, but complete. I don't think you want me to read it, but basically the definition section 2 of the act defines public office holder. And then there is a subsequent definition of a “reporting public office holder”. It includes basically ministers, ministerial advisors, all Governor-in-Council appointees, who are the biggest group, and there is a total of approximately 2,600 public office holders. There is about 1,100 reporting public office holders.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Thank you.

You've also talked about one of your greatest accomplishments as getting your office staffed. We have received and reviewed your organization chart and note there are still some vacancies. Do you have a plan to continue to fill those vacancies in your office?

[Mary Dawson]

Yes. There are very few vacancies left--I think there are three--and one is in my office.

Where are the other two, Denise?

[Denise Benoit, Director, Corporate Management, Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner]

Actually, there is one in learning and communications, and the last one is in legal, but it's an articling student position.

But we do have a strategy. We implemented last year a development program for advisors, because the compliance advisors are probably the more specific positions in our organization. In the last year we implemented a development program where we're bringing in people who are a bit more junior and we will develop them over the next two years. We came to the realization that it was hard to find someone who is already fully qualified, so we're developing them in-house instead.

[The Chair, Liberal, Paul Szabo]

Thank you.

Ms. Foote, please.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Thank you.

Mrs. Dawson, I want to go back to the whole issue around allegations, and what you received in terms of a letter or a referral from the Prime Minister's Office. Further to what my colleague said earlier, in addition to the Minister of Foreign Affairs saying that in fact you were notified of the allegations, on April 12 in the House of Commons on three occasions the Minister of Transport said:

Those allegations were forwarded to officials at the RCMP and with the Office of the Ethics Commissioner here in Ottawa.

So you're telling us that what you received in fact was a letter of referral that indicated that you should contact this particular individual and you were given the phone number.

[Mary Dawson]

Yes. Actually maybe I should say the letter came from the Prime Minister's Office. It actually wasn't signed by the Prime Minister.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

That's fine. I'm sure the Prime Minister was aware of the letter.

[Mary Dawson]

Yes, and the letter indicated that.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Thank you.

So specific allegations you weren't aware of, even though we're being told that the allegations were forwarded to your office.

[Mary Dawson]

Yes, I was told that there were concerns, or something, and that I could contact this individual to find out more about it.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Was there just one name of one individual who it was suggested you contact?

[Mary Dawson]

There was the one individual who it was suggested I contact. There was one other individual mentioned in the letter.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Did you contact both individuals?

[Mary Dawson]

Yes.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Okay. Can I ask you what you found out from those individuals?

[Mary Dawson]

Very little.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

In terms of allegations as such?

[Mary Dawson]

That's right.

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

You mentioned that under the act, if the RCMP is conducting an investigation, that would take precedence over....