The federal Commissioner of Lobbying Karen Shepherd said on Thursday she is investigating allegations that lobbyists are paying to rub elbows with top Liberal cabinet ministers.
Shepherd says lobbyists participating in fundraising events could potentially create a conflict of interest for ministers by making them feel a “sense of obligation.”
“Obviously the placing of the public office holder in a conflict of interest is something that would be a potential breach of the [Lobbying] Act. So all I will say is that I am currently looking into it,” Shepherd told the House of Commons ethics committee.
The announcement comes in response to a complaint from the advocacy group Democracy Watch over what Shepherd calls “cash-for-access” high-profile fundraising events. Finance Minister Bill Morneau spoke at a $1,500-a-head event on Oct. 13 at a Halifax mansion owned by Fred George, a former mining mogul. Morneau plans to headline another $500-a-head cocktail party in Toronto partly organized by Barry Sherman, chairman of the generic drug manufacturer Apotex.
Sherman’s company lobbies the federal government, including the Finance department, on drug patent legislation. On the Liberal website, a list shows 11 fundraising events next month with top cabinet ministers such as Foreign Minister Stephan Dion, Infrastructure Minister Amerjeet Sochi, and Industry Minister Navdeep Bains.
The events could violate the guidelines for ministerial conduct that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued stating that “there should be no preferential access to government, or appearance of preferential access, accorded to individuals or organizations because they have made financial contributions to politicians and political parties.”
Ethics commissioner Mary Dawson voiced her concern Thursday saying that the fundraising events may seem “unsavoury,” but they’re not unlawful.
“One wonders whether people are getting unfair access,” said Dawson.
Federal opposition leader Rona Ambrose took a shot at the Liberals during question period.
“The prime minister knows that this is wrong. Everybody knows this is wrong. It is damaging the integrity of his office. Why does he not just stop doing it?” said Ambrose
It is not clear whether registered lobbyists have, in fact, attended any of the fundraisers. The Liberal Party says only that the names of all donors and their contributions are disclosed publicly to Elections Canada, which does not specify the events at which donations were made.
The probe could take months to determine who attended the fundraisers, what was said and whether there was a breach in the Lobbying Code of Conduct.
With files from CTV’s Glen McGregor and The Canadian Press
