The Conservative MP for Huron Bruce suggests former Tory cabinet minister Helena Guergis may have broken parliamentary conflict of interest guidelines unintentionally.
Ben Lobb says there are two sets of rules, depending on how far back from the parliamentary aisle a government MP sits.
Cabinet ministers are subject to much more rigorous regulations because of the nature of the files they handle in their individual portfolios.
Lobb suggests it’s possible Guergis may have been caught up in that difference when she intervened on behalf of a businessperson in her riding who was dealing with her husband, Rahim Jaffer.
Guergis wrote a letter to a municipal politician and council asking them to consider a project proposal.
She was expelled from the Tory caucus and sat out the remainder of the last term as an Independent.
She lost the seat in the May 2nd election.
Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson on Thursday confirmed Guergis violated two sections of the conflict-of-interest rules with her actions.
