Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew visited the ethics commissioner on Monday to reveal that he had twice flown on a Winnipeg Blue Bomber charter to the Grey Cup, following a CBC report examining whether this breached the province’s conflict of interest regulations. Kinew expressed regret, stating that he had not thought to disclose his use of the charter in 2023 and 2024 to support the Bombers.
According to the Conflict of Interest Act, any non-commercial flight must receive approval from the commissioner. Kinew explained that since he personally paid $8,000 for four seats on the plane in 2023, he believed he did not need clearance from the commissioner. He drew a comparison to attending Jets games, where self-funded tickets do not require disclosure.
After consulting the ethics commissioner, Kinew acknowledged his oversight and made the necessary disclosures of his private air travel, now accessible on the ethics commissioner’s website. When questioned about potential violation of conflict-of-interest laws, Kinew did not directly address the query, insisting that expenses covered personally may not necessitate disclosure.
The premier’s trip in 2023 to Hamilton via a charter arranged by the Blue Bombers surfaced during the release of his staff expenses through freedom of information laws. While Kinew’s assistant expensed his accommodation to the government, transportation was provided by the Blue Bombers, who clarified that the charter serves fans, sponsors, and families.
Kinew clarified that he covered his own hotel expenses during the Grey Cup weekend in 2023 when the Bombers played against the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton. Despite discrepancies in the initial statements regarding his accommodation payment, Kinew redirected inquiries, indicating that the website displayed the information inaccurately.
Notably, a democracy watchdog emphasized that regardless of Kinew’s payment for the flight, his access to an exclusive service available only to select individuals may constitute a conflict of interest. The Progressive Conservatives have raised concerns, with interim leader Wayne Ewasko emphasizing the importance of adhering to disclosure laws and transparency in public office.
Progressive Conservative MLA Greg Nesbitt filed a formal complaint with the ethics commissioner, requesting an investigation into potential breaches of the Conflict of Interest (Members and Ministers) Act by Premier Wab Kinew concerning his travel arrangements to the 2023 and 2024 Grey Cup events. The complaint highlighted delays in information disclosure and inconsistencies in the premier’s office responses as reported by CBC News.
Should the commissioner find that the premier violated the law, potential penalties could include reprimand, fines, suspension, or, in severe cases, vacating the premier’s seat. Full transparency and accountability from elected officials, particularly regarding conflicts of interest involving Premier Kinew, are being demanded by Manitobans.
