A former deputy minister has been selected by a legislative committee to be Alberta’s next ethics commissioner.
Shawn McLeod has worked in both the private and public sectors, the province said in announcing his recommendation on Wednesday.
According to both the province and his LinkedIn, McLeod is a lawyer who initially worked in private practice for McLennan Ross LLP, followed by time as counsel to the Federal Department of Justice and Alberta Labour Relations Board.
He also worked as in-house counsel for a Alberta industrial construction company JV Driver Group and spent a few months at energy company Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL).
McLeod most recently worked in the public sector, first as a deputy minister of labour relations from April 2019 to last June, and since then as a special advisor. The province said he was doing project work for the deputy minister of executive council.
McLeod has degrees from the University of Alberta in arts, business and law. The province said he also has a French language certificate from the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi.
McLeod was born in Saskatchewan is a member of the St’uxwtews (Bonaparte) First Nation. The province said he grew up in various places across Alberta and has lived with his wife in Edmonton for many years.
The ethics commissioner is an officer of the legislature who is appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in council on recommendation of the legislative assembly.
The ethics commissioner performs a variety of roles under the conflicts of interest act, including providing advice to MLAs and conducting investigations and inquiries.
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If the recommendation is accepted, McLeod will replace current ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler, who has been in the role for a decade.
A year ago this month, Trussler found Premier Danielle Smith undermined democracy and broke conflict-of-interest rules by intervening in a criminal case.
Trussler said Smith’s violation had to do with conversations she had as premier with then-justice minister Tyler Shandro regarding criminal charges against Calgary pastor Artur Pawlowski.
More recently, Trussler found no rules were broken when Alberta’s former chief medical officer of health was hired for a new job with the province — then promptly fired. A job offer was revoked last year for Dr. Deena Hinshaw at the Indigenous Wellness Core of Alberta Health Services. Trussler said in a letter released by Smith’s office that the proper processes were followed.
The committee that selected her replacement recommendation is also in the process of looking for a new chief electoral officer. Right now Glen Resler is in that role.
The Select Special Ethics Commissioner and Chief Electoral Officer Search committee is made up of MLAs from both the UCP and Alberta NDP. The chair is Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Tany Yao.
“I am pleased to announce the recommendation to the assembly of Mr. Shawn McLeod to the position of Alberta’s ethics commissioner,” Yao said in a statement.
“It has been a lengthy and very involved process, and I am confident in our decision. I would like to thank all applicants for their participation.”
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The opposition called it a “party insider” appointment.
“The position of the ethics commissioner should be someone who is non-partisan. Someone who has no previous political ties to the parties that make up the government of Alberta or of the opposition,” said Irfan Sabir, Alberta NDP MLA for Calgary-Bhullar-McCall and member of the committee.
“Yet today, Smith’s members of the search committee recommended a previous UCP nomination candidate, Shawn McLeod, as Alberta’s new ethics commissioner.”
When asked about McLeod’s history with the party, on Wednesday Yao said he is confident he will perform admirable and in a non-partisan way.
Global News has confirmed a new chief electoral officer will be in place sometime by this fall.
The NDP claims in the last meeting of the committee on Monday, the UCP voted against motions moved by NDP members that would ensure the chief electoral officer will be non-partisan.
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