MP’s questions raise their own questions
A New Democrat MP who is president and co-owner of a renewable energy business has been using his parliamentary privilege to have the federal government document all of its spending on green energy since 2006.
Northwest Territories NDP member of Parliament Dennis Bevington just received back from government a response to his written request for all federal departments to identify their spending on “the development and use of renewable energy for each year between 2006 and 2014,” broken down by provinces and territories, and by program.
The Conservatives say the optics are poor and that Bevington could be in a potential conflict. Bevington argues there’s no conflict.
The government’s response to Bevington’s question cost potentially tens of thousands of dollars, producing a 181-page document (in English and French) from dozens of federal departments and agencies. It spelled out tens of millions of dollars in spending on renewable energy projects in provinces and territories.
The response was general, explaining spending on dozens of programs such as the “Biofuels Opportunities For Producers Initiative,” the “EcoENERGY Innovation Initiative” and the “Renewable Fuels Strategy.”
Bevington is the president of Stand Alone Energy Systems Ltd., a renewable energy business, and also holds a 50-per-cent interest in the firm, according to his disclosure filing with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.
He is also the NDP critic for the Arctic Council and Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency; sits on the House of Commons environment and sustainable development committee; and has been a longtime advocate for renewable energy.
Bevington said he asked for the government’s spending on renewable energy because it is critical for the NWT’s future and hopes of addressing high energy prices. He said he was looking to identify trends in federal spending on the file.
For example, he said he has already used the information to question Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz over why his department’s spending on renewable energy “cratered” in 2013-14.
“Conflict with getting historical records of the investment in renewable energy by the government of Canada? How would you make that leap, even if I had a business doing a lot of work in that field, but I’m not,” Bevington said in an interview. “I know what the rules are.” He said he also has an ongoing interest in renewable energy, having been a former special adviser on energy to the premier of the Northwest Territories from 2001 to 2003, and now a member of the Commons environment committee.
Bevington said there’s little activity in his company, which he said currently conducts about $20,000 of business yearly (including selling solar panels).
He said he has no active role in the business while a sitting MP, and doesn’t collect any money from it. He said his business partner currently oversees the company and noted it has not received any federal funding since he was elected MP in 2006. The New Democrat MP didn’t vet his request for federal department information on renewables with Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson and doesn’t feel he needed to.
Dawson’s office said it will “always follow up with the Member if we are concerned that a conflict of interest may exist” but, due to confidentiality rules, won’t comment on individual situations.
Yukon Conservative MP Ryan Leef said every member of Parliament likely has some interest in renewable energy initiatives in their ridings, and he doesn’t want to impugn Bevington’s motives.
However, MPs must identify any possible or perceived conflict and vet their actions with the ethics commissioner, Leef said.
“These are just good examples where all parliamentarians could look at this kind of thing and think about how it looks from the outside looking in.”