Liberals nominate IRB head Mario Dion as next federal ethics commissioner
OTTAWA — A longtime public servant has been nominated as the new federal ethics watchdog, taking over an office that has become a political lightning rod for investigations into the prime minister and his finance minister.
The Liberal government named Mario Dion, the current head of the Immigration and Refugee Board, as their choice to become the next conflict of interest and ethics commissioner for the House of Commons.
The announcement came after a heated question period Monday during which the Conservatives peppered the government about who would take over from outgoing commissioner Mary Dawson, who is looking into a conflict-of-interest controversy involving Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some of his top aides sat out the selection process for her replacement because Dawson is investigating whether Trudeau broke ethics rules during a vacation to the Aga Khan’s private island last Christmas.