International Trade Minister Mary Ng apologized Tuesday after the federal ethics commissioner concluded she broke the rules by awarding a contract to a friend.
Mario Dion released his report into a complaint lodged by federal Conservative MP James Bezan, the party’s former ethics critic, back in May over a contract Ng’s office had awarded to the public relations firm Pomp and Circumstance in spring 2020.
Although the contract was worth just under $17,000, Bezan raised concerns over a potential breach of the conflict of interest rules given the existence of a friendship between the firm’s co-founder Amanda Alvaro and Ng.
In his report, Dion said he interviewed both Ng and Alvaro, who had known each other for nearly 20 years and described their connection as a friendship. Dion determined their relationship fit the definition of friendship under the Conflict of Interest Act.
He concluded the minister broke a section of the act by failing to recuse herself from the decision to award the contract.
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He reported that during the investigation, Ng disclosed the firm also received a contract in 2019.
“There is simply no excuse for contracting with a friend’s company,” Dion said in a statement Tuesday.
“This includes the need to quickly obtain media training services to help Minister Ng respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020.”
“Ministers are expected to uphold the highest standards of accountability, including those set out in the Conflict of Interest Act. Complying with the Act is a condition of appointment and employment for all public office holders.”
In her own statement posted to Twitter, Ng said she accepts “full responsibility for her actions” and should have recused herself the decision-making process around the contract.
“At no time was there an issue of any personal benefit for me, nor any intention for anyone to benefit inappropriately,” said Ng.
“My sincere efforts in the moment fell short of my own high personal standards for transparent and accountable conduct, which Canadians have a right to expect from their elected officials.”
Ng also apologized during question period in the House of Commons Tuesday.
“I should have recused myself and I’m sincerely sorry,” she said. “What I want Canadians to know is that this won’t happen again.”
—With additional files from Global News
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