Liberal Donald Arseneault MLA and Ottawa lobbyist accused of conflict

There is growing criticism of Donald Arseneault's decision to take a job as a lobbyist based in Ottawa but still continue to serve as the MLA for the riding of Campbellton-Dalhousie.

• Donald Arseneault says he'll be MLA and lobbyist at same time

Arseneault has yet to speak with CBC News about his new job as the "government relations manager" for Canada's Building Trades Unions, an umbrella group for more than 500,000 construction workers in 14 different unions.

In an interview with theHill Times, an Ottawa-based political newspaper, he saidthat he has met with Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschnes and doing both didn't break any rules.

"There was no problem as long as I do not do any lobbying or government relations within New Brunswick," Arseneault said.

Duff Conacher, co-founder ofofDemocracy Watch, a non-profit group that advocates for government accountability, said if that's true, he believes Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschnes made a mistake.

"I just think the commissioner made the wrong decision in this case," Conacher told Information Morning Moncton. "I think it is a conflict of interest."

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"There is a rule in the law that says youcan't share inside information that you learn as a member of the legislature to further the interests of anyone else," Conacher said, referring to the Conflict of Interest Act that applies to MLAs.

"I think that the commissioner should be assuming that it's impossible, when you're acting as a lobbyist for any kind of organization, to not be using inside information that you obtained as a member of the legislature to further the private interests of that organization."

CBC News contacted the office of Deschnes on Wednesday morning. A spokesperson said he will issue a news release on his decision regarding Arseneault"in the near future."

Premier should step in

Green Party Leader David Coon said he was shocked and incredulous when he heardArseneaultwas taking a position as a lobbyist in Ottawa while continuing to collect a paycheque as an MLA.

"The work of an MLA or a parliamentarian is more than part-time," Coon said. "Just ask our families."

Coon said actions like this only add to the cynicism that already exists about politicians, and he called on Premier Brian Gallant to step in.

Earlier this week, Gallant said he was satisfied Arseneault had gone to the Integrity Commissioner andconfident he was following the recommendations.

Really the rule shouldbe obvious ... Of course you can't be a lobbyist and a member of the legislature at the same time.- Duff Conacher, Democracy Watch

Conacheradmitted that while this is the first case in the country he's seen of a sitting politician taking a job as a lobbyist, it isn't a surprise.

"Politicians wrote these rules for themselves and they've left huge loopholes in them across the country," he said.

"In the provinces we're seeingseveral situations where those loopholes are being exploited and where the commissioner of ethics is not really drawing the line at a place that's ethical, and unfortunately we're seeing it now in New Brunswick."

Conacher said Democracy Watch has a list of "best practice standards" that it promotes,and not allowing MLAs to be lobbyists will be added to the list.

"We keep having to add very specific standards to that list because politicians keep dreaming up new ways of exploiting loopholes. Really the rule shouldbe obvious. ... Of course you can't be a lobbyist and a member of the legislature at the same time."