
Ethics watchdog examines apparent conflict by PM’s chief of staff
OTTAWA – Federal ethics watchdog Mary Dawson is conducting a formal examination of an apparent conflict of interest involving Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff.
Dawson’s office confirms the ethics commissioner is looking at Nigel Wright, under section 45 of the Conflict of Interest Act.
That section empowers the commissioner to act on her own initiative—without waiting for an MP or senator to request an investigation — if she has reason to believe someone has contravened the act.
At issue is whether Wright improperly used his influential position to further the private interests of friends at Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX).
Wright was lobbied three times in May by Barrick, despite deep personal connections to the company’s founding family.
The company, which has mining operations in Argentina, called to discuss its concerns about the fallout from Harper’s performance at the Summit of the Americas in April, where he angered the Argentine government.
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