Ethics commissioner finds Lynn violated Conflict of Interest Act with paid work

OTTAWA – The federal ethics commissioner has found the former CEO of Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. violated the Conflict of Interest Act by working as a paid consultant while heading the agency.

Mary Dawson announced the finding today, about a month after John Lynn was fired from the corporation over patronage appointments.

In a statement, Dawson says she began looking into the matter after receiving information that Lynn did paid work for a private company in 2010 and 2012 while he was the corporation’s CEO.

A section of the act prohibits public office holders from working as paid consultants.

Dawson says the investigation, which was launched more than a year ago, took time because there were delays with Lynn’s availability.

The federal integrity commissioner concluded last month that Lynn hired four people with ties to the federal Conservatives and Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative party without demonstrating the appointments were merit-based.