N.S. premier ‘comfortable’ with new staffer who had issues with Canada Revenue Agency in 2013

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil is “comfortable” that his newly hired director of operations had her 2013 issues with the Canada Revenue Agency dealt with and resolved.

Heather Chiasson, who the premier’s office announced was taking the position on Wednesday, is a former senior official with the Liberal Party of Canada and, until Wednesday’s announcement, served as a special assistant to Federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau.

READ MORE: Stephen McNeil prepares for worst on controversial N.S. pulp mill

But Chiasson was previously fined $11,000 by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in 2013 for failing to report income over three taxation years.

Her appeal of the fine was dismissed by Justice Johanne D’Auray of the Tax Court of Canada in May 2014, according to a decision on CanLII.

According to the decision, the CRA ruled in 2013 that Chaisson had failed to report income for the taxation years of 2007, 2009 and 2011.

Due to her failure to report income multiple times in a four-year span, CRA assessed a fine “equal to 10 per cent of the unreported income.”

Chiasson argued to the court that she was unaware of the consequences of her repeated failure to report income and that the CRA should have warned her about the possible fine.

But D’Auray disagreed and dismissed her appeal.

“I understand that Ms. Chiasson’s failure to report her income was not deliberate,” D’Auray wrote.

“[But] the case law is clear in establishing that ignorance of the law or an error in the interpretation of legislation does not constitute a reasonable mistake of fact.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "[But] the case law is clear in establishing that ignorance of the law or an error in the interpretation of legislation does not constitute a reasonable mistake of fact."

Chiasson told the Globe and Mail in 2016 that the CRA cancelled the fine in 2015 as part of a budget decision that removed penalties for people who are sloppy in filing their income taxes.

WATCH: Privacy ombudsman offers rebuke of N.S. premier’s claim to most transparent province in Canada

1:32 Privacy ombudsman offers rebuke of N.S. premier’s claim to most transparent province in Canada

McNeil welcomed Chiasson to the position in a warm message on Wednesday, despite her previous issues.

“I am very pleased to welcome Heather to our office,” McNeil is quoted as saying in the press release.

“Her background and her deep connection to Nova Scotia make her an ideal fit for our team, and I look forward to working with her.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Her background and her deep connection to Nova Scotia make her an ideal fit for our team, and I look forward to working with her."