No evidence Tony Clement broke the rules by appearing in promo video for local company, ethics commissioner concludes

Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson today issued a report under the Conflict of Interest Act on three matters related to the conduct of the Honourable Tony Clement, Member of Parliament for Parry Sound--Muskoka, when he was Minister of Health and Minister of Industry.

The first concerns Mr. Clement's participation in a promotional video for Lord & Partners Ltd., in which he identified himself as a minister of the federal government. The second involves three federal contracts awarded to that company. The third pertains to the appointment of Mr. George Young, who produced the video, to the Canadian Tourism Commission. It was alleged that Mr. George Young and Mr. Barry Young, the president of Lord & Partners, were friends of Mr. Clement.

The matters were raised in a disclosure referred to Commissioner Dawson by the then interim Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. When she receives a referral in this manner, Commissioner Dawson must issue a public report setting out the facts in question, as well as her analysis and conclusions.

After seeking further information in relation to these matters, Commissioner Dawson determined that she had no reason to believe that Mr. Clement was friends with Mr. Barry Young or Mr. George Young within the meaning of the Act, and that there was not reason to believe that a contravention had occurred. Therefore, she did not proceed to an examination.