National

Canada's first conflict of interest and ethic commissioner, Mary Dawson, dies

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 05 Jan, 2024 11:20 AM

Former conflict of interest and ethics commissioner Mary Dawson has died.

The commissioner's office posted a statement on its website today announcing it is saddened to learn of Dawson's death on Dec.24.

Dawson was nominated to the role in 2007 by former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper and she served until 2018.

Before that she had a lengthy career as a federal bureaucrat, including as the associate deputy minister of the Justice Department.

During her tenure at that department she helped draft major pieces of legislation including the Access to Information Act, the Privacy Act, the Canada Health Act and the Official Languages Act.

During her time as ethics commissioner Dawson made many rulings, but among her last was her explosive report that found Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated conflict of interest rules by accepting a vacation on the Aga Khan's private island in the Bahamas in 2016.

The statement from the ethics commissioner's office says Dawson's legal expertise "laid the foundations for the way the conflict of interest regimes are administered."

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Inflation expected to have eased again in February

Statistics Canada is set to release its February consumer price index report on Tuesday, giving its most up-to-date reading on inflation ahead of the federal government's budget on March 28. Desjardins and RBC are both forecasting the inflation rate fell to 5.4 per cent last month, down from 5.9 per cent in January.

Inflation expected to have eased again in February

Man shot, killed by police in Prince George, B.C.

A statement from RCMP says the force has notified the independent B.C. office that investigates all cases of police-involved death or serious injury. Staff Sgt. Kris Clark says officers were called to Highway 97 just south of Prince George on Thursday because the man was in his vehicle and having a mental health crisis.

Man shot, killed by police in Prince George, B.C.

Homes under construction in Burnaby, Coquitlam, and West Vancouver targeted by theft home finishings and fixtures stolen.

The stolen property included everything from stoves, fridges, toilets and plumbing fixtures, to flooring and lighting, with many items still in their original packaging. The value of seized goods is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some individual items are estimated to be worth as much as $25,000.

Homes under construction in Burnaby, Coquitlam, and West Vancouver targeted by theft home finishings and fixtures stolen.

Discrimination found at human rights body: union

It said the Treasury Board Secretariat found the commission breached the "no discrimination" clause in its collective agreement, and has invited parties to engage in a mediation process to seek a meaningful resolution. The union is calling the March 6 decision an important win, and one that will have consequences across the federal public service.

Discrimination found at human rights body: union

Councillor '100%' in support of interference probe

The report says consulate officials worked to oust then-mayor Kennedy Stewart and elect a new mayor and a certain city councillor. Ongoing concerns about possible foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections spurred Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to name former governor general David Johnston to investigate.

Councillor '100%' in support of interference probe

Killer says Amanda Zhao may be alive, enraging mom

The 21-year-old English student’s remains had been found stuffed in a suitcase in Mission, B.C., and Yang’s identification of her daughter was also confirmed by a police DNA test. More than 20 years later, any sense of closure thatact offered has been torn apart by the claims of Zhao's convicted killer, Ang Li, that he was framed by China's government and Zhao might not be dead at all.