New Brunswick is set to amend its Conflict of Interest Act in order to strengthen the province’s conflict of interest rules that governs members of the legislative assembly.
The proposed legislation, announced on Wednesday, will prohibit sitting members from lobbying for — or being employed by — a business or organization that engages in lobbying.
The bill also includes a cool-down clause which will prohibit former members of the legislature from participating in lobbying of any kind, in or outside of New Brunswick, in relation to matters connected to the province.
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The cool-down period will reportedly last 12 months.
“This will ensure that all members of the legislative assembly are held to the highest standard,” said Attorney General Serge Rousselle in a press release on Wednesday.
“This is important because it allows us to make better decisions to advance the priorities of New Brunswickers such as growing the economy and strengthening our education and health-care systems.”
The amendments also require legislators to report to the integrity commissioner in their private disclosure statements of any additional sources of “employment or remuneration.”
The integrity commissioner would then be tasked with reporting the information to the public.
In the wake of conflict of interest row
Wednesday’s proposed amendments come two months after Donald Arseneault, then-MLA for Campbellton-Dalhousie, chose to resign after an ultimatum from Premier Brian Gallant regarding a perceived conflict of interest.
Arseneault had accepted a position with Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) while he was still a sitting member of the legislature and a member of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, a decision that had the province’s official opposition, up in arms.
Arseneault ultimately decided to resign, though he continued to insist he had done nothing wrong.
“My decision to accept a position of employment while serving as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, although completely within the existing rules, has become an unfortunate distraction for a government I have been proud to serve with,” Arseneault said in his resignation statement.
WATCH: Long-serving Liberal MLA Donald Arseneault calls it quits amid conflict of interest controversy
Arseneault told reporters that after advising the premier he didn’t intend to seek re-election in 2018, he also checked with the province’s conflict of interest commissioner and was certain his new job followed the rules.
However, Gallant told reporters shortly before Arseneault’s resignation that the MLA’s decision stopped short of what his caucus members must strive for, which is to avoid even the perception of a conflict of interest.
“He has to act and make a decision between being a Liberal MLA and having the job that is perceived to be containing lobbying in its description,” Gallant told reporters.
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The government did not respond to requests for comment on whether the introduction of the legislation was a direct response to controversy around Arseneault.
Once the amendments come into effect, current members of the legislature have 60 days to report their employment and sources of income.
In the future, members will have to report changes in their employment or sources of income within 30 days of the change.
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