This Day In Clarkland...More Potential For Perceived Conflictyness In Commissioner Land.

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TalksVille


Previously, we noted that there appeared to be an element of, at the very least, the potential for perceived conflictyness for the provincial Conflict Commissioner, Mr. Paul Fraser, particularly when it came to his ability to investigate anything (and everything) to do with the goings on of British Columbia's current Premier, Ms. Christy Clark.

Why?

Because the Commissioner, Mr. Fraser, has an extremely close relative who has extremely close ties to Ms. Clark.

So close, in fact, that the Commissioner previously recused himself from an investigation that was centered around the previous actions said Premier, Ms. Clark.

But now, Duff Conacher of Democracy Watch has unearthed more.

Bob Mackin has the story in The Tyee:

...(P)ast donations to the BC Liberals linked to Fraser are raising concerns about his role in investigating allegations that Clark's fundraising activities violate provincial conflict rules...

{snip}

....Fraser was a partner in the Vancouver law firm Fraser Milner Casgrain. The Elections BC database shows the firm donated $25,383 to the BC Liberals from 2005 to 2007, including $10,000 to the successful Vancouver South campaign of Wally Oppal, the former B.C. Supreme Court judge. The firm donated to no other party...



So...

Just in case you have forgotten, Mr. Fraser was appointed Commissioner by then BC Liberal Premier Gordon Campbell in November of 2007 (i.e. just after his law firm gave big donations to the BC Liberals).

And, currently, Mr. Fraser is getting ready to launch a conflict of interest investigation into whether big money donors to the BC Liberals, now headed by Ms. Christy Clark, received favours for said big donations.

So (again)...

How is this there not, at the very least, the potential for a perception of conflictyness (in extremis) here that is so obvious that Mr. Fraser has not already recused himself from the matter at hand?

And, perhaps more to the point, how has the irony of all this been lost on the puffed-up members of the local proMedia pundit gentry, including one member who has stenoed-up the fact that Mr. Fraser has waved away the matter because the law firm is really, really big, or some such thing?


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