In Quebec, although the ethics commissioner only has the power to recommend sanctions, this power gives some weight to the findings in their reports. Obviously, each analysis is done on a case-by-case basis. A lot of thought goes into whether or not to recommend a sanction, and which one. That said, I can't comment on how the public perceives this. However, it's set out in the code and is something I have to navigate, whether or not the sanction is subsequently adopted.
