Federal politicians and public officials who break conflict of interest laws will face heftier fines and more public exposure as Canada's ethics watchdog cracks down on enforcement.
Nearly seven months into the job, Mario Dion says he wants to do more to hold public office-holders to account on behalf of the people who pay their salaries: Canadians.
"I would rather be criticized for being too harsh than being too lenient," he said in an interview with CBC News.
Dion's office enforces conflict-of-interest and ethics rules for Members of Parliament, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, ministerial staff and most other Governor-in-Council appointees, working to ensure they don't use their positions to advance private financial interests.
Under his predecessor, Mary Dawson, the office took on several high-profile investigations, including probes of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's island vacation with the Aga Khan and conflict of interest controversies linked to Finance Minister Bill Morneau and former Conservative cabinet minister Vic Toews. The office's findings and penalties frequently have been criticized as too soft.
A career civil servant, past commissioner of public sector integrity and former chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board, Dion took the reins from Dawson on January 9 of this year after she wrapped up nine years in the post.
Dion said that Dawson usually imposed a penalty of $100 for most violations of the Conflict of Interest Act. The standard fine under his watch, he said, will be $250.
"When I see an NHL player who is given a fine of $500 for having slapped his hockey (stick) in somebody's face, I find that it's not credible because I know how much the hockey player earns," he said. "I don't believe for a second this will have an impact on his behaviour. Sometimes I feel the same way about our regime. It's very small ... it's very symbolic."
Dion said he believes Parliament should have a serious look at whether a fee structure that caps out at $500 is robust enough, or whether steeper penalties or even suspensions are more appropriate in cases of serious violations. He wants to create a climate where people take the rules more seriously than they have in past.
