Housing and Social Development minister Rich Coleman released a statement this morning saying he's been cleared by conflict of interest commissioner, Paul Fraser.
The issue came up as part of Auditor General John Doyle's inquiry into the release of private land on Vancouver Island from management under the Tree Farm Licence system when Coleman was the forest minister, though questions had been raised months earlier in the Legislature and media reports.
At the time of the removal, Coleman's brother Stan Coleman worked as the manager of strategic planning for Western Forest Products, the company that benefited from the release. Stan Coleman previously worked for Weyerhaeuser when it benefited from a similar release.
In his statement, Coleman quoted Fraser: “A reasonably well informed person would not reasonably perceive that the Minister's decisions ... must have been affected by his brother's employment with either company.”
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee's Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. You can reach him here.
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mcdull
3 years ago
Amazing
Just like Oliver this guy never finds a conflict. Just perceived conflicts. No one ever makes a mistake.
G West
3 years ago
What's wrong with the Tyee's format today?
This new style is annoying. Why the change?
cboo44
3 years ago
Coleman Cleared
This does not alter the fact that Rich Coleman was the most arrogant dumbasses who EVER put a Forest Minister's hat on.