Morneau, 1 other minister held indirect assets without a blind trust: ethics watchdog

Conflict of interest commissioner Mary Dawson says Finance Minister Bill Morneau is the only Liberal cabinet minister who currently holds indirect assets without a blind trust in place.

Dawson provided the clearest statement she has to date Friday in the cat-and-mouse game between opposition parties and the Liberal government about which cabinet ministers may be at risk of a conflict of interest.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said several times Morneau is the only minister currently in this situation and Jody Wilson-Raybould was until she sold her indirectly-held assets in April 2016.

1:06 Will Morneau putting assets in blind trust end controversy?

• Will Morneau putting assets in blind trust end controversy?
• Ethics commissioner says she told Morneau a blind trust wasn’t required
• Finance minister Bill Morneau addresses why his assets are not in a blind trust

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But Dawson previously only said the number of ministers with indirectly held assets and no blind trust was “fewer than five,” finally clarifying today after questions were raised about whether her information contradicted Trudeau.

The opposition has bombarded the government with questions about conflicts of interest ever since it was revealed Morneau continued to hold shares in his family business, human resources and pension management company Morneau Shepell while he was the minister in charge of regulating the pension industry.

Morneau is now in the process of selling those shares.