Federal ethics commissioner retiring after 5 years, citing health issues

CTV QP: The Scrum Journalists speak about the controversy surrounding the interim appointment of the ethics commissioner.

Federal Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion has announced he's retiring, effective Feb. 21, citing "persistent health issues."

Appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Dion took on the role in 2018 and was set to serve a seven-year term after his predecessor Mary Dawson held the role for more than a decade.

"I have been honoured to serve Parliament and Canadians… and am grateful for the confidence Parliament has placed in me. It is my hope that I have contributed in some measure to transparency and accountability in support of Canadian democracy," Dion said in a statement.

Over the last five years, Dion has found Trudeau as well as members of his cabinet and caucus in contravention of federal ethics laws on several occasions, with news of the most recent breach coming out less than two hours before Dion announced his retirement plans.

In a year-end interview with Chief News Anchor and Senior Editor of CTV National News Omar Sachedina, Trudeau said while "it sucks" when such cases of improper conduct arise, the fact the public knows about them is a sign the system is working.

"Those in public office have a sacred duty to always act in the interest of the public they serve," Dion said in Tuesday's statement, thanking those who work alongside him for helping him implement changes to the office, including establishing a 12-month target for concluding ethics investigations.

In 2019, Dion took a "prolonged" absence from his role for medical reasons, but the work of his office continued.

Dion came to the role after a 43-year career in the public service, including as chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, chair of the National Parole Board, and public sector integrity commissioner.

"I firmly believe that educating regulatees and the public about the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest serves to help restore Canadians' trust in public officials and the institutions in which they serve and, ultimately, in our democracy," said Dion.