Citing conflict, ethics watchdog steps away from Redford case

Citing a personal conflict of interest, Alberta’s ethics commissioner has asked her B.C. counterpart to determine whether another investigation into former premier Alison Redford’s handling of the tobacco litigation contract in 2013 is warranted.

Ethics commissioner Marguerite Trussler said in a letter to Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley that she has recused herself from conducting the review because she is friends with two people involved in the matter. She appointed B.C.’s conflict-of-interest commissioner Paul Fraser to act on her behalf.

In a 27-page report released Monday, former Supreme Court of Canada justice Frank Iacobucci found former ethics commissioner Neil Wilkinson lacked important evidence when he reviewed how Redford awarded the province’s lawsuit against big tobacco companies.

Iacobucci found Wilkinson wasn’t given more than half a dozen relevant emails and briefing notes. He recommended the government refer the matter to Trussler so she could determine if a new investigation is needed.

Iacobucci was appointed to in- dependently review Wilkinson’s investigation in December at a cost of $160,000.

Wilkinson launched his conflictof-interest investigation in 2013 after it was revealed Redford, while justice minister, chose the International Tobacco Recovery Lawyers Consortium to represent the province in its $10-billion lawsuit against the tobacco companies.

Redford’s ex-husband, Robert Hawkes, was a partner at one of the firms included in the consortium; however, ex-spouses aren’t named as a potential source of conflict in the province’s conflict-of-interest laws.