New conflict of interest guidelines are coming for some Island civil servants as part of an emphasis on openness and transparency in government, says Premier Wade MacLauchlan.
MacLauchlan said the new conflict of interest requirements for senior officials will provide restrictions for investment or involvement with companies doing business with government.
“We believe that this will really add to public confidence and trust and we will continue to consider additional measures to increase transparency and accountability,” he said.
MacLauchlan announced the plan for the new guidelines Monday during a meeting senior civil servants were holding in Charlottetown.
CLICK HERE TO READ MACLAUCHLAN'S SPEECH
RELATED: P.E.I.'S e-gaming file
It was part of one of 10 “lenses” through which he said he wants to view the choices government makes and through which he hopes civil servants will make choices.
The conflict of interest measures will extend guidelines to deputy ministers and senior political advisors in a way that is similar to what is already in place for cabinet ministers.
New restrictions will also be extended to deputy ministers and senior advisors for when they leave their jobs with government.
When asked if there was a specific issue that initiated the plans for new guidelines, MacLauchlan said he thought it was something the province could have benefited from having in place long ago.
He also referred to recent talk about the province’s e-gaming file and said his response as incoming premier is to be alert, to learn and to take action where beneficial action can be taken.
“I do think, as I said, this will enable our senior public servants to do their jobs better.”
Last year news emerged that the provincial government tried to become an online gaming regulator.
If successful, it would have been worth tens of millions of dollars in new revenues for the province.
There has been renewed interest in P.E.I.’s e-gaming file recently after a report in the Globe and Mail about the foray into online gaming.
As for how the changes will be implemented or when that will happen, MacLauchlan said he asked the clerk of executive council to research how it has been done in other jurisdictions, but if legislative changes are needed that will be done when the legislature sits.
“I don’t think many people expect the legislature to sit before an election,” he said.
New conflict of interest guidelines are coming for some Island civil servants as part of an emphasis on openness and transparency in government, says Premier Wade MacLauchlan.
MacLauchlan said the new conflict of interest requirements for senior officials will provide restrictions for investment or involvement with companies doing business with government.
“We believe that this will really add to public confidence and trust and we will continue to consider additional measures to increase transparency and accountability,” he said.
MacLauchlan announced the plan for the new guidelines Monday during a meeting senior civil servants were holding in Charlottetown.
CLICK HERE TO READ MACLAUCHLAN'S SPEECH
RELATED: P.E.I.'S e-gaming file
It was part of one of 10 “lenses” through which he said he wants to view the choices government makes and through which he hopes civil servants will make choices.
The conflict of interest measures will extend guidelines to deputy ministers and senior political advisors in a way that is similar to what is already in place for cabinet ministers.
New restrictions will also be extended to deputy ministers and senior advisors for when they leave their jobs with government.
When asked if there was a specific issue that initiated the plans for new guidelines, MacLauchlan said he thought it was something the province could have benefited from having in place long ago.
He also referred to recent talk about the province’s e-gaming file and said his response as incoming premier is to be alert, to learn and to take action where beneficial action can be taken.
“I do think, as I said, this will enable our senior public servants to do their jobs better.”
Last year news emerged that the provincial government tried to become an online gaming regulator.
If successful, it would have been worth tens of millions of dollars in new revenues for the province.
There has been renewed interest in P.E.I.’s e-gaming file recently after a report in the Globe and Mail about the foray into online gaming.
As for how the changes will be implemented or when that will happen, MacLauchlan said he asked the clerk of executive council to research how it has been done in other jurisdictions, but if legislative changes are needed that will be done when the legislature sits.
“I don’t think many people expect the legislature to sit before an election,” he said.
