OTTAWA – The federal ethics commissioner has launched a probe into Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis’s interactions with former Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer.
Mary Dawson confirmed in a letter to Liberal MP Marlene Jennings, who requested the investigation more than a month ago, that her office will examine whether Paradis breached the Conflict of Interest Act when he was the minister of public works and his office had contact with Jaffer about a business proposal.
Jennings said Tuesday the review is "not only appropriate, it’s long overdue."
Jennings alleges that Paradis and his staff gave special treatment to Jaffer, who last year was promoting green energy projects through his company Green Power Generation.
Jaffer and his wife – former cabinet minister Helena Guergis – have been the subject of controversy for months over allegations of unregistered lobbying and questionable conduct. Dawson is also investigating whether Guergis breached ethics rules before she was kicked out of the Conservative caucus over unspecified allegations that were also passed on to the RCMP by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Paradis is one of several Tory MPs to have been drawn into the conflict since it was first sparked by media reports about Jaffer’s business dealings in the spring. Brian Jean, parliamentary secretary to Transport Minister John Baird was approached by Jaffer and his business partner, as was Environment Minister Jim Prentice’s office.
Jaffer and several other witnesses have appeared before a parliamentary committee probing allegations of illegal lobbying and as the story has unravelled, it was revealed that Jaffer called Paradis on his cellphone last summer and they discussed the idea of putting solar panels on the roofs of federal government buildings. Jaffer told MPs on the committee that he had the cellphone number because he and Paradis were friends when they worked together on Parliament Hill.
Jaffer then contacted Paradis’ office to inquire about setting up a meeting with bureaucrats about the solar panel project and the request was promptly sent to officials within the department by a member of Paradis’ staff.
According to e-mails, Paradis’ aide Sebastien Togneri later wrote to a top bureaucrat in the department on Sept. 30 stating, "This sector has had this for weeks. What’s the holdup?"
Jennings claims Paradis and his staff fast-tracked Jaffer’s request and that the minister allowed his former colleague to have "privileged access" to him.
"Do you think that there’s a directory where someone will find his cellphone number? I think not," Jennings said.
Paradis denies any wrongdoing.
"I have always conducted myself appropriately and in accordance with my obligations," he said in a statement provided by his office on Tuesday.
The Conflict of Interest Act prohibits office holders from using their position to further their own private interests or those of their family and friends.
The NDP welcomed news of the ethics commissioner’s investigation, saying there are "serious concerns" about Paradis’ conduct.
"We were hoping that the ethics commissioner would conduct an investigation and we’re pleased that that’s going to happen," NDP Leader Jack Layton said Tuesday.
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