After more than a year, Ottawa moves to hire permanent federal ethics commissioner

OTTAWA — The federal government has appointed a new ethics commissioner with the support of opposition parties.

Konrad von Finckenstein, who had been serving as acting ethics commissioner since August, was given the official title today.

He will serve a seven-year term.

The new commissioner is a former federal judge, competition czar and chair the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The government has been looking for a permanent ethics commissioner for over a year, after Mario Dion announced his retirement in February 2023.

Martine Richard stepped into the interim role before von Finckenstein, but resigned within weeks amid concerns over the fact she is a sister-in-law of Liberal minister Dominic LeBlanc.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 29, 2024.

The Canadian Press