Watchdog: Tony Clement should be careful of abusing cabinet status

[mentalfloss]

Tony Clement not guilty in unethical conduct case, but should be careful of abusing cabinet status: watchdog

OTTAWA — Treasury Board President Tony Clement has been cleared of allegations of unethical conduct in his dealings with two constituents.

But he’s been warned about improperly using his ministerial title to promote local enterprises.
Federal ethics watchdog Mary Dawson says Clement did not give preferential treatment to Lord and Partners when he appeared in a promotional video for the Huntsville, Ont.-based firm.

Indeed, she says Clement checked with her before agreeing to a cameo role in the 2008 video and she gave her stamp of approval.

Still, in her report Dawson issues a “note of caution:” Clement should have identified himself in the video simply as the MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka.

She says he should not have mentioned his ministerial title, which implied use of his cabinet position to derive greater assistance for his constituents than for other Canadians.

Dawson also says she found no evidence Clement was subsequently involved in awarding six different federal defence contracts to Lord and Partners, which supplies environmentally friendly solvents and cleaning products.

Nor did she find evidence that Clement is personal friends with company president Barry Young or with George Young, a Huntsville municipal councillor who produced the video.

Hence, Dawson says Clement did nothing improper when he recommended Young’s appointment to the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Tony Clement not guilty in unethical conduct case, but should be careful of abusing cabinet status: watchdog | News | National Post

 

[Cabbagesandking]

Dawson must be fatigued with the effort to read the materials. This is, I think, one of only a couple of situations she has bothered to investigate since she was appointed. Paradis was another but she took a couple of years to do that.

As a Harper appointment who, unlike a few other heads of Arms Length bodies who are now gone. sees her job as to mauntain an uncritical stance wrt anything done by a Harper crony.

 

[CDNBear]

Dawson must be fatigued with the effort to read the materials. This is, I think, one of only a couple of situations she has bothered to investigate since she was appointed. Paradis was another but she took a couple of years to do that.

As a Harper appointment who, unlike a few other heads of Arms Length bodies who are now gone. sees her job as to mauntain an uncritical stance wrt anything done by a Harper crony.

Ahh yes, the great big Harpercon conspiracy.

 

[Goober]

Ahh yes, the great big Harpercon conspiracy.

Many are not aware but the Harper campaign provided money to Tony the Gazebo Clement during the run for the leadership- Draw votes away from what was her name again. Oh yes, Belinda.