Skip to Main content

27.27°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Apr 20, 2023 7:05 PM - The Canadian Press

Minister's sister-in-law steps down as ethics watchdog after committee launches probe

Share On

ministers-sister-in-law-steps-down-as-ethics-watchdog-after-committee-launches-probe

A statement from the office of the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner says Richard will stay on as a lawyer while the search for a new leader continues (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The sister-in-law of a Liberal cabinet minister has stepped down as the interim ethics commissioner a day after a House of Commons committee agreed to investigate her appointment.

Martine Richard, who has worked in the commissioner's office as a lawyer since 2013, took over the top job last month for a six-month stint.

Richard is the sister-in-law of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who was found to have breached conflict-of-interest rules in 2018 for approving a lucrative fishing licence for a family member while he was fisheries minister.

A statement from the office of the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner says Richard will stay on as a lawyer while the search for a new leader continues.

A spokeswoman says neither the office nor Richard will respond to further questions on the subject.

On Tuesday, the committee on access to information, privacy and ethics agreed to study Richard's appointment over the course of three hearings, and to invite her and LeBlanc to testify.

Latest news

Phone services, including the 911 landline, down in northern Vancouver Island

Residents in parts of northern Vancouver Island are without landline and cellphone service due to what telecom provider Telus says was damage to infrastructure caused by vandalism. The company's service status map shows both Port McNeill and Port Hardy without home phone, mobile, internet and 911 landline service due to what it says is "damage inflicted upon Telus infrastructure." Other communities on Vancouver Island, including Alert Bay, Campbell River and Port Alice, have also been affected. Emergency Info B.C. says on social media that residents should still try to call 911 if they have an

train-cars-leave-the-tracks-in-b-c-s-kootenay-region-near-albertas-boundary

Train cars leave the tracks in B.C.'s Kootenay region near Alberta's boundary

Federal investigators are looking into a train derailment in British Columbia's Kootenay region near the Alberta boundary. The Transportation Safety Board says in a statement that a team is being deployed to the site near Elko, B.C., where investigators will gather information and begin to assess what caused the derailment. A spokesman with rail operator Canadian Pacific Kansas City has confirmed the derailment at about 8 p.m. Tuesday, where multiple cars left the tracks. CPKC says the 12 cars involved were empty and no one was injured as a result of the derailment. It says its crews responded

poilievre-calls-on-liberals-to-scrap-the-temporary-foreign-worker-program

CanadaSep 03, 2025

Poilievre calls on Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program and to stop issuing visas under the program. Poilievre argues a jobs crisis among young people has been caused in part by corporations hiring foreigners who work for less than Canadian citizens. He is calling out specific fast-food chains he claims are hiring foreigners over locals, including through job postings that call specifically for temporary foreign workers. Poilievre accuses the government of creating conditions that frustrate the efforts of young people to start their working

putin-meets-north-koreas-kim-in-beijing

WorldSep 03, 2025

Putin meets North Korea's Kim in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met to begin bilateral talks in Beijing. The two leaders met formally at the Diaoyutai state guest house after attending a major military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Putin and Kim traveled from a formal reception to the negotiations in the same car, the Kremlin said in a post on social media.

carney-cabinet-meets-to-prepare-for-parliaments-return-debate-trade-war-strategy

CanadaSep 03, 2025

Carney cabinet meets to prepare for Parliament's return, debate trade war strategy

American tariffs and an upcoming review of the continental trade pact will headline discussions today as Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet begins its two-day retreat in Toronto. While previous governments referred to these sorts of gatherings as cabinet “retreats,” Carney’s office is rebranding the event as a “cabinet planning forum.” The meetings come two weeks before the House of Commons is to return for the fall sitting and about a month or so before Carney's new government presents its first federal budget. Ministers are expected to spend most of their time discussing U.S. Pre

Related News

Poilievre calls on Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program

Poilievre calls on Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the Liberals to scrap the temporary foreign worker program and to stop issuing visas under the program. Poilievre argues a jobs crisis among young people has been caused in part by corporations hiring foreigners who work for less than Canadian citizens. He is calling out specific fast-food chains he claims are hiring foreigners over locals, including through job postings that call specifically for temporary foreign workers. Poilievre accuses the government of creating conditions that frustrate the efforts of young people to start their working

Carney cabinet meets to prepare for Parliament's return, debate trade war strategy

Carney cabinet meets to prepare for Parliament's return, debate trade war strategy

American tariffs and an upcoming review of the continental trade pact will headline discussions today as Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet begins its two-day retreat in Toronto. While previous governments referred to these sorts of gatherings as cabinet “retreats,” Carney’s office is rebranding the event as a “cabinet planning forum.” The meetings come two weeks before the House of Commons is to return for the fall sitting and about a month or so before Carney's new government presents its first federal budget. Ministers are expected to spend most of their time discussing U.S. Pre

Federal NDP launches leadership race

Federal NDP launches leadership race

The federal NDP today officially launched the race to find its next leader. In a news release, the party says there has been strong interest in the contest since Aug. 20, when the application packages were made available. Former leader Jagmeet Singh resigned after he and the party suffered a stunning defeat in April's federal election. Registered party members will vote on Singh's permanent successor at a national convention in March using a ranked ballot, which allows delegates to list candidates in their preferred order. Anyone running for the leadership must obtain at least 10 per cent of t

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital