TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2020) Canada's Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion will complete his investigation into possible conflict of interest violations committed by former Finance Minister Bill Morneau despite the latter's resignation, the Office said in a statement on Tuesday.
On Monday, Morneau stepped down from his cabinet role and as the parliamentarian for a Toronto riding amid an ethics probe into his decision to award a government contract to the WE Charity.
"Ethics Commissioner Dion is required under subsection 44(7) of the [Conflict of Interest Act] to provide a report to the Prime Minister and make it public under subsection 44(8)," the office said via Twitter.
An investigation was initially launched on July 15, after it was revealed that the minister did not recuse himself from a controversial decision to award a contract to the charity despite family ties to the organization.
Revelations that Morneau had accepted two expense-paid trips from the WE Charity, prompted Dion to expand his probe into possible contraventions of the Conflict of Interest Act on July 30.
Morneau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have been at the center of controversy after multiple investigative pieces chronicled their close ties to the WE Charity ahead of the government decision to award the charity a $670-million sole-source contract to administer a government-sponsored student volunteer program.
The ethics probe was the third for Morneau during his five years in office.
