APTN National News
Green Party MP Elizabeth May wants the ethics commissioner to investigate Prime Minister Stephen Harper, particularly his calling of a by-election in Labrador.
It’s the riding former cabinet minister Peter Penashue held until he resigned his position and seat amidst a swirl of controversy in March.
May is particular interested in a $1.35 million spending announcement Penashue made four days before he quit and has asked Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson to investigate.
May said she is interested in learning if Harper furthered “Penashue’s private career interest in being re-elected in a way that violates the Conflict of Interest Act,” according to a statement.
Polls have indicated Penashue trails terribly in his bid to recapture the riding. Voters go to the polls May 13.
In the 2011 election, Penashue accepted illegal donations and air flights. He won by 79 seats over incumbent Liberal MP Todd Russell.
Still, May said she wants answers and is asking Dawson to release a public report on her findings.
“There are too many questions surrounding the calling of the by-election. Why, for example, did Mr. Harper allow Mr. Penashue to make a $1.35 million spending announcement in his riding just four days before Mr. Penashue resigned his seat? Did Mr. Harper know Mr. Penashue would soon run again as a candidate?” said May who represents Saanich-Gulf Islands.
The federal Conflict of Interest Act prohibits public office holders like Harper from exercising “an official power, duty or function that provides an opportunity to further his or her private interests or those of his or her relatives or friends or to improperly further another person’s private interests.”
May is the most shrill self serving MP we have ever had in the history of Canadian Parliament. She will gladly exploit any people, issue or news item to further her delirious quest for more power. She has no measure of self restraint, intellect or compassion.
Dizzy lizzy has done nothing for the riding she was parachuted into . I didn’t like Gary Lunn much but at least he looked after his riding rather than spending time self promoting .
May calls for an “ethics” probe,after she offered to NOT run a candidate in that Riding to ensure a Conservative defeat!
The only person ‘furthering their own interests’ is May. Never pass up an opportunity to use anything you can for your own interests.
I would tend to disagree with your statement concerning Elizabeth May’s interests – of all the currently sitting MP’s, she is perhaps the one least interested in ‘furthering her own interests’. Instead, she has the interest of all Canadian citizens at heart when she clearly is acting for all of us by bringing the subject of Harper’s nefarious attempts to interfere with current and applicable conflict of interest rules – through the proper channels, of course. Though I am a Liberal from central Ontario, were I living in Saanich-Gulf Islands, this lady would have secured my vote on election day, sans question. Her heralded support for First Nations peoples’ and the ‘Idle no more’ movement also speak highly of her intentions to democratically be inclusive of all Canadians who speak with a voice that should and will be heard.
Why, after having our democracy breached, do we the Canadian taxpayers have to pay for an expensive by-election? The entire cost of this should be shouldered by the Harper party. They are behind the wrongdoing. They should pay.
cons will be cons. If they’re doing something, you know it’s shady.