VICTORIA – Independent MLA John van Dongen is asking B.C.’s conflict of interest commissioner to step out of an investigation just days after he asked him to step in to look at allegations against Premier Christy Clark.

Van Dongen says conflict commissioner Paul Fraser is in his own conflict involving the investigation because his son, John Paul Fraser, holds a senior position in Clark’s government.

Earlier this week, Van Dongen filed an official request with Fraser’s office to conduct an investigation to determine if Clark was in conflict of interest nine years ago when she was part of the Liberal government which sold Crown-owned B.C. Rail.

Clark was B.C.’s education minister and deputy premier in 2003 when the government sold the railway to CN Rail touching off a series of events that saw the police raid the legislature and two Liberal government aides plead guilty to corruption-related charges.

Clark said this week she will co-operate fully with a conflict investigation if one proceeds.

Van Dongen says he did not know when he made the allegation that Fraser’s son worked for Clark’s government and is a personal friend of the premier.