Commissariat aux conflits d'int?rets et a l'ethique
Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner

 

66. rue Slater Street
22e ?tage 122nd Floor
OTTAWA, ONTARIO 

CANADA
K1A 0A6 - memm 
  ?6 its}? is.   Tim.?
  
CONFIDENTIAL -   -

 

August 19,. 2016 
f.

 

Dr. Colin Carrie

Member of Parliament for Oshawa
House of Commons

Room 410, Justice Building
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Subject: Response to Request for examination into the conduct of the
Honourable Jane Philpott

Dear Dr. Carrie:

I am writing in response to your letter of August 18, 2016 in which you request that 

undertake an examination under the Con?ict of Interest Act (Act) of the conduct of the
Honourable Jane Philpott, in relation to whether she may have contravened her obligations under
theAct by using the services of Executive Sedan Livery Service, a company owned by One of her

supporters.

In your letter, you referred to recent media reports that stated that Dr. Philpott has
repeatedly used the services of Executive Sedan Livery Service, which you wrote is owned by
Mr. Reza Shirani, an active volunteer and supporter of Dr. Philpott. You also wrote that the
Dr. Philpott has admitted that she knew the service was owned by Mr. Shirani while she was using

it.

You identi?ed several payments made to Executive Sedan Livery Service in relation to
Dr. Philpott?s use of the service including a payment of $1,708 on March 313?, a paymentof $1,994
for another trip in July and payments amounting to $3,814 for 20 trips to Toronto?s Pearson
Airport. You add that reporting done by the Toronto Star found that these rates were far above the

rates of other car services the outlet surveyed. 

You question the Minister?s decision to use the services of a supporter with no apparent
open process or steps taken to avoid a con?ict of interest and in your letter you refer to sections 7

(preferential treatment) and 8 (insider information) of the Act.



Subsection 44(2) of the Act requires that a request from a member of the House of
Commons not only identify the provisions of the Act alleged to have been contravened but also set
out the reasonable grounds for the belief that the contravention has occurred.

In light of the information you provided, I am of the View that your request does satisfy the
requirements set out in subsection 44(2) of the Act as it relates to section 7 of the Act, but it does
not set out reasonable grounds to believe Dr. Philpott has contravened section 8 of the Act. I have

therefore commenced an examination under subsection 44(3) of the Act as it relates to a possible

contravention of section 7 of the Act.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 613-996-3 986.

Sincerely, 
@xW?J/t

Mary Dawson
Con?ict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner