June 13, 2005

Takhar should have known better

Liberal Transportation Minister in apparent breach of integrity regs

Ontario's Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar is in a spot of trouble. According to the Toronto Sun, Mr. Takhar has been caught visiting the company he placed in a blind trust when he joined the provincial Cabinet. Integrity legislation at Queen's Park requires Cabinet minister to place companies they own in a blind trust and maintain and "arm's-length" relationship with them in order to prevent both real and apparent conflicts of interest.

Takhar's trust is not at all blind.
According to the Sun, they have photos and documentary evidence of Mr. Takhar visiting the headquarters of Chalmers Suspensions, the truck parts company of which he was the CEO until his ascension to the Cabinet after the 2003 provincial election. Mr. Takhar's wife is now the CEO of the company, but there continues to be a parking spot reserved for Mr. Takhar.

The Opposition Conservatives are calling on Mr. Takhar to step aside while the NDP is has asked the Province's Integrity Commissioner to investigate the matter.

The Minister suggests that he visited Chalmers because he needed to speak with is wife. "I went to see her to talk to her because there is no time to talk at home. I get home late. She is always busy cooking or doing something else at home," he said.

Fair enough, Ministers do put in long hours and it can be very hard on their families - though, next time Mr. Takhar should leave out the part about his wife being too busy cooking. Despite that, his presence at the company's offices does not present the appearance of an arm's-length relationship between the Minister and his company. To make things worse, he told the Sun he believe getting updates from his trustee is entirely appropriate - it is nothing of the sort.

If that is how Mr. Takhar's trust is operating, then it is not at all blind and he is in a clear breach of the ministerial integrity code. He is bright guy who should understand the rules and how damaging the appearance of a conflict can be. He should have known better.

This revelation likely warrants Minister Takhar's resignation. At very least, the Integrity Commissioner should investigate and Mr. Takhar should step aside until the Commissioner rules on his conduct.

Posted by maxthecat at June 13, 2005 10:39 AM

http://www.maxsmewsings.com/mt/archives/2005/06/takhar_should_have_known_better.php