‘Legal loophole:’ NDP want to see changes to Conflict of Interest Act

The NDP are asking for more from Sask Party’s Minister of Health, Jeremy Cockrill.

This comes after Cockrill was found to have broken a conflict of interest rule earlier this week.

NDP’s Rural and Remote Health and Ethics and Democracy critic, Meara Conway, said Cockrill’s statement was disappointing.

“He doesn’t seem to be accepting responsibility…  So he needs to take responsibility for his role in being found to be offside the act and apologize,” she said.

“I think a reprimand is appropriate.”

Conway, who made two complaints about possible rule-breaking by Cockrill, said a reprimand would have symbolic weight, and she hopes to see the motion supported by the Sask. Party.

Maurice Herauf, Conflict of Interest Commissioner, found Cockrill had violated a conflict of interest law regarding a business the minister was working for part-time work.

Cockrill’s family business, Fortress Windows and Doors Ltd., secured nearly $180,000 in contracts from the provincial government while Cockrill was still working for the business and an elected MLA.

However, Herauf wrote that Cockrill “technically” broke the rules but it was minor, so he recommended a reprimand as the only sanction.

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The commissioner also mentioned Cockrill had looked for an opinion in February 2021 on disclosing the contracts and that it might have been “prudent” for the commissioner to let Cockrill know at that time there was an obligation to not participate in government contracts.

Conway said Cockrill seeking an opinion was a step in the right direction, but he didn’t follow through.

“Jeremy Cockrill is an adult working in politics, it’s not on the commissioner to babysit him,” she said. “As soon as he got this opinion, he should have cut ties with the company. This is a serious issue”

Conway said this is a question of public trust in elected officials. This is the second time a Sask. Party MLA has come into hot water with conflict of interest complaints.

In October, former Sask. Party MLA Gary Grewal was found to have breached conflict-of-interest legislation when the Sunrise Motel and Thriftlodge Motel entered contracts with the social services ministry.

“Saskatchewan people deserve to know that the discussions that are happening at the cabinet table by their elected officials are serving their best interests, not the financial interests of cabinet ministers,” Conway said.

“It’s proof that we need tougher rules and regulations. The people of Saskatchewan deserve better from their elected officials.”

Conway said she has proposed several changes to the conflict of interest act. She said the act was created in 1993 and needs to be updated to fix what she called a, “legal loophole big enough to drive a combine through.”

She said to expect to see a private member’s bill that would close the “legal loophole” in the spring.

— with files from 980 CJME’s Abby Zieverink and the Canadian Press