By Canadian Press

Ethics committee to probe conflict-of-interest violation by Trade Minister Mary Ng

Jan 31, 2023 | 1:37 PM

OTTAWA — A parliamentary committee has voted in favour of launching a study into a recent ethics ruling against International Trade Minister Mary Ng.

Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett presented a motion at the House of Commons ethics committee today saying Canadians deserve a full accounting of what transpired, and the motion passed. 

The federal ethics commissioner ruled in December that Ng violated the Conflict of Interest Act when her office awarded a $17,000 contract to a friend. 

Mario Dion says Ng’s relationship with Amanda Alvaro, a co-founder of public relations firm Pomp & Circumstance, constitutes a friendship under the act. 

Ng apologized after Dion published his report, saying she should have recused herself from the process that led to her office awarding Alvaro’s firm a contract in spring 2020. 

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The ethics committee plans to call Ng and Alvaro to appear as witnesses, and will seek documents about the work that was done. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2023.

The Canadian Press