News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

October 6, 2020

Province Set to Strengthen Conflict of Interest Legislation

– – –
Bill would Enhance Ethical Rules: Cullen

Watch news conference





The Manitoba government will reintroduce legislation that would expand the role and authority of the province’s ethics commissioner to provide accountability and strengthen rules for ministers and members of the Manitoba legislative assembly, Justice Minister Cliff Cullen announced today.
 
“Manitoba’s conflict of interest rules are among the weakest in Canada and this legislation would update the rules and create a new ethics commissioner with expanded powers to enforce them,” said Cullen. “The current rules are outdated and inadequate; we want to streamline them and bring our ethical standards in line with other jurisdictions.”
 
The new legislation would recognize that a conflict might arise when a member or minister has an opportunity to place their interest, or the interest of their family or another person, before the public interest. It would establish specific rules for:
gifts and personal benefits that a member may accept; 
private air travel;
sporting and cultural event tickets that belong to the government; 
and business dealings between a member and the government.
 
The proposed legislation was informed by the conflict of interest commissioner’s 2018 report Modernizing Manitoba’s Conflict of Interest Legislation, and would restructure and rename the current position to ethics commissioner from conflict of interest commissioner. 
 
The commissioner, who was reappointed in 2018 for a three-year term, would have expanded powers and may receive and investigate complaints from members concerning alleged violations. The position would remain an officer of the legislative assembly, the minister noted.
 
The legislation would also place restrictions on former members who must not use information obtained while in office to further their private interest or those of their family, unless the information is otherwise available to the public. Additionally, during the year after the date they ceased to hold office, a former minister would not be able to accept a government contract and would be precluded from interacting with the government in circumstances where their former status may give them an unfair advantage over others.
 
The minister noted Municipal Relations Minister Rochelle Squires will also reintroduce The Municipal Statues Amendment Act, which would require municipalities to establish rules governing use of municipal resources by a registered candidate in a way that could advantage a candidate, and governing use of the name, voice or image of a member of council in municipal communications.
 
Cullen noted both pieces of legislation are part of the government’s commitment to ensure that all elected officials in the province are held to the highest standard of ethics and accountability.
 
- 30 -