Year after promising to sell biz, cabinet minister still owns convenience store
A spokesman for Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie said Tuesday a sale is in the works for Grandpa George's gas station and convenience store, located in Hollow Water First Nation.
The process is 'now underway and will be completed in a timely manner,' spokesman Caedmon Malowany said in an email.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Files
Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister, Ian Bushie.
Questions about when Grandpa George's was put on the market, why it hasn't sold yet and who the prospective buyer is were not answered.
'The ethics commissioner has been notified and will be kept updated on its progress,' Malowany said.
Bushie, who was not available for an interview, was not required to sell the gas bar after ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor ruled last September that the member for Keewatinook inadvertently violated the new Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act.
At that time, Bushie announced he would sell the business that's been in his family for 28 years, saying: 'I want to go above and beyond.'
Grandpa George's, which is overseen day-to-day by a manager, had a government contract for many years to provide groceries and supplies to workers who fight wildfires in the area. The agreement allowed for the store to provide up to $100,000 in groceries and supplies but the largest amount it billed in a fiscal year was $44,549.80 in 2021-22.
Weekday Mornings
A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day.
Under new conflict of interest legislation that took effect after the 2023 provincial election, contracts in existence at the time of an MLA's election are permitted, but renewals and extensions are not.
The ethics commissioner found Bushie broke a rule when he renewed the gas bar contract with the provincial government on April 1, 2024. That agreement was cancelled by the government on June 3, 2024, the day the PCs raised the matter in the legislative assembly. It has not been renewed, Malowany said Tuesday.
MLAs must also include any contracts with the government in their disclosure statements, and Bushie contravened the law by failing to do so, Schnoor's report said.
Schnoor said Monday that MLAs must file an amendment to their disclosure statement within 60 days of any material change, including acquisitions or dispositions. Once filed, the amendment is posted to the ethics commissioner website, he said. Bushie's most recent disclosure was June 26 for private air travel to attend Poplar River First Nation's inaugural high school graduation.
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol SandersLegislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Cision Canada
Commissioner of Canada Elections announces 11 administrative monetary penalties and an undertaking for Canada Elections Act violations
GATINEAU, QC, /CNW/ - The Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE), Caroline J. Simard, announced today the publication of 11 administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) and an undertaking to address violations under the Canada Elections Act (the Act). To maintain transparency, and as required by the Act, summaries of AMPs are published on the CCE's website. A contestant during the federal general election of 2021 who failed to appoint a replacement financial agent without delay. The official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who failed to report on the payment of a claim and the source of the funds used to pay the claim, within the required deadline. The financial agent of a candidate during the leadership contest of a party in 2020 who failed to report on the payment of a claim or loan and the source of the funds used to pay it, within the required deadline. The official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who failed to dispose of the campaign's surplus within the required deadline. A union that failed to open a separate bank account dedicated exclusively to its electoral activities. The financial agent of a deregistered electoral district association for failing to provide the financial return within six months of its deregistration. The official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who failed to provide the campaign's financial returns within the required deadline. The official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who provided a campaign's financial return that did not substantially set out the information required under the Act. A contestant during a nomination contest in 2021 who failed to appoint an auditor without delay. A contestant during a nomination contest in 2021 who signed a declaration that contained false or misleading information. The official agent of a candidate during the 2021 federal general election who failed to dispose of the campaign's expenses within the required deadline. In addition, the CCE accepted an undertaking from the official agent of an electoral district association who failed to pay the Receiver General the amount of two ineligible contributions. AMPs are administrative tools that the Commissioner can use to address violations under the Act. They aim to promote compliance with the Act. More information about AMPs can be found in the CCE's Policy for the Administrative Monetary Penalty Regime. An undertaking is a pledge made by a person or entity that did not comply with a requirement of the Act and accepted by the Commissioner. Undertakings aim to ensure compliance with the Act. The CCE is responsible for ensuring compliance with, and enforcement of, the Act and the Referendum Act. The Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections is distinct from Elections Canada and carries out a different mandate. For media enquiries, please contact: [email protected]. For complaints and non-media-related enquiries, please use our online form.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Year after promising to sell biz, cabinet minister still owns convenience store
Nearly a year after a Manitoba cabinet minister held a news conference to say he would voluntarily sell his business after he violated provincial ethics rules, the business still hasn't changed hands. A spokesman for Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie said Tuesday a sale is in the works for Grandpa George's gas station and convenience store, located in Hollow Water First Nation. The process is 'now underway and will be completed in a timely manner,' spokesman Caedmon Malowany said in an email. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Files Manitoba Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister, Ian Bushie. Questions about when Grandpa George's was put on the market, why it hasn't sold yet and who the prospective buyer is were not answered. 'The ethics commissioner has been notified and will be kept updated on its progress,' Malowany said. Bushie, who was not available for an interview, was not required to sell the gas bar after ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor ruled last September that the member for Keewatinook inadvertently violated the new Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act. At that time, Bushie announced he would sell the business that's been in his family for 28 years, saying: 'I want to go above and beyond.' Grandpa George's, which is overseen day-to-day by a manager, had a government contract for many years to provide groceries and supplies to workers who fight wildfires in the area. The agreement allowed for the store to provide up to $100,000 in groceries and supplies but the largest amount it billed in a fiscal year was $44,549.80 in 2021-22. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Under new conflict of interest legislation that took effect after the 2023 provincial election, contracts in existence at the time of an MLA's election are permitted, but renewals and extensions are not. The ethics commissioner found Bushie broke a rule when he renewed the gas bar contract with the provincial government on April 1, 2024. That agreement was cancelled by the government on June 3, 2024, the day the PCs raised the matter in the legislative assembly. It has not been renewed, Malowany said Tuesday. MLAs must also include any contracts with the government in their disclosure statements, and Bushie contravened the law by failing to do so, Schnoor's report said. Schnoor said Monday that MLAs must file an amendment to their disclosure statement within 60 days of any material change, including acquisitions or dispositions. Once filed, the amendment is posted to the ethics commissioner website, he said. Bushie's most recent disclosure was June 26 for private air travel to attend Poplar River First Nation's inaugural high school graduation. Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
National Post
5 days ago
- National Post
CUPE: Former Air Canada Counsel to Decide Whether to End CUPE-Air Canada Dispute in Clear Conflict-of-interest
Article content TORONTO — In an almost unthinkable display of conflict-of-interest, a former Air Canada legal counsel, Maryse Tremblay, will rule on whether to end job action by striking Air Canada flight attendants at the Canada Industrial Relations Board. Article content CUPE requested Tremblay recuse herself from chairing the proceedings. Despite CUPE's request, Tremblay will hear the case. Article content Article content Tremblay, who spent her career advocating for the interests of Air Canada, was appointed to chair the CIRB by the Carney government. Article content It is increasingly difficult to escape the appearance of collusion between Air Canada and the Liberal government throughout this process. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content
