Tories take Bushie to task over ethics for second day in question period

The Progressive Conservatives tried to establish a “pattern of unethical behaviour” by an NDP cabinet minister Tuesday, alleging in question period that he tried to get an illegal fishing charge against a relative dropped four years ago.

Picking up where they left off Monday, the PCs again went after Natural Resources and Indigenous Futures Minister Ian Bushie over allegations that he offered a bribe in September to a First Nation chief in return for the removal of a highway checkstop that has outraged hunters.

Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt, who served as natural resources minister in the previous PC government, alleged that in 2022 Bushie tried to get him to drop illegal fishing charges.

“Is this pattern of unethical behaviour why the member for Keewatinook tried to pressure me when I was a minister to intervene and dismiss natural resources charges and penalties against his relative?” Nesbitt asked during question period.

Outside the chamber, Nesbitt said Bushie approached him in the hallway of the legislature after question period four years ago to say a family member had been charged with fishing illegally and that it was “a misunderstanding” and an “honest mistake.”

“He wanted me to take a look into the matter and see what I could do about it,” Nesbitt said, adding that he looked into the matter.

“The charges were warranted — fishing out of season with the wrong net.”

When he told Bushie that the charges were legit and would stand, “He just said to me, ‘Well, you haven’t heard the end of this.’

“He was angry, but I didn’t take it as a threat and be worried that he was going to do something to me or anything. I did report it to my staff and told them what was said at the time.”

Nesbitt said he’s not sure it would’ve been perceived as an ethics violation.

“I think it speaks to the integrity of asking someone to intervene in charges,” he said. “I think that that’s not something that any of us would do.”

MLAs frequently raise issues with cabinet ministers on matters involving constituents and others in their ridings, and is standard practice.

Bushie was not made available for an interview Tuesday.

On Monday, he faced a barrage of questions from Tory MLAs about who approved the $250,000 that Bloodvein River First Nation Chief Lisa Young said Bushie offered for economic development if the First Nation removed its blockade.

Bushie denied the allegation and accused the PCs of using First Nations citizens as “political props.”

On Tuesday, the Tories pointed out that Bushie was the first MLA to violate new conflict of interest rules that took effect after the 2023 provincial election. Former ethics commissioner Jeffrey Schnoor found that Bushie inadvertently violated the Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act in 2024.

Bushie, who owns Grandpa George’s gas and convenience store in Hollow Water First Nation, renewed a long-standing contract to provide groceries and supplies to workers who fight wildfires in the area. Under the new conflict of interest legislation, contracts in existence at the time of an MLA’s election are permitted, but renewals and extensions are not. The contract was cancelled by the government on June 3, 2024, the day the PCs raised the matter in the legislative assembly.

Although he was not required to do so by the ethics commissioner, Bushie said at the time that he would sell Grandpa George’s. On Monday, his press secretary said negotiations with a potential buyer are taking place.

carol.sanders@winnipegfreepress.com